DETROIT (WXYZ) — In an effort to help Detroiters pay their past-due balances on their water, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department has implemented a brand-new program that goes into effect Tuesday starting with just $10 down.
For three years during the COVID-19 moratorium, if residents didn’t pay their water bills in the city of Detroit, the water would not be shut off. However, now that has expired and Detroiters are having a tough time paying their bills, shutoffs are in effect and the city's collection rate has dropped 12% since 2020.
“So they’re going up, up, up," Detroit resident Patricia Reid said about her water bill. "Cost of living, everything's just skyrocketed.”
At a citywide, charted-mandated meeting Monday at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, DWSD introduced EasyPay.
For $10 down on the first month only, a total water and sewage debt for a Detroit resident then gets spread out over 36 months instead of the previous 12 months and if you enroll, you’re automatically put in a shutoff protection program. This is in addition to current monthly bills.
"The average Detroit resident owes about $1,200 right now in the city," DWSD Chief of Staff Matthew Phillips said. “Things add up and after a couple years, it’s tough to get out of that situation.”
There are no income restrictions to qualify and the city expects over 30,000 people to sign up for the program.
“They’re not just saying, hey pay your bill and if you don’t pay your water bill, it goes over to your taxes and we’re gonna foreclose. It seems like that’s not what they want to do," Detroit resident Remuel Montgomery said.
Montgomery owes a little over $1,000 on his water bill. He hasn't been able to pay because some months, it's a choice between getting groceries or paying the water bill.
“It’s a case where you want get it under control, you want to get it handled," he said.
All types of customers qualify: businesses, residents, places of worship and nonprofits.
To enroll in the new DWSD EasyPay Plan, call 313-267-8000 and say “Easy Pay” or enroll through the DWSD Customer Self-Service Portal. To learn more, visit the city's website.
