This City Could Become The Next Detroit

[KamaAina]

In terms of water, at any rate.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2015/04/04/3642935/baltimore-water-shutoffs/

Starting this week, 25,000 households in Baltimore will suddenly lose their access to water for owing bills of $250 or more, with very little notice given and no public hearings.

Rita, a renter in Southeast Baltimore who asked to remain anonymous for this story in order to protect her two children from being taken away, told ThinkProgress she was served with a shutoff notice last week. Maryland law states that a child that is “neglected” may be taken out of his or her home and put into foster care. One characteristic of “neglect” as defined by the Maryland Department of Human Resources is a child with “consistently poor hygiene” that is “un-bathed, [having] unwashed or matted hair, noticeable body odor.”

“I love my kids, and I’d do anything for them,” Rita told ThinkProgress. “But if I turn on the shower or the sink and there’s no water, how can I give them a bath?”

Food and Water Watch researcher Mary Grant explained that making water unavailable to residents is a major health risk, and that if Baltimore were to deprive 25,000 households of water, diseases would have a high chance of propagating throughout densely-populated neighborhoods.

[yeoman6987]

1. 250 seems low to me

Although I know they are strict when you miss even one or two they will shut it off in 10 days.

[Vincardog]

2. Unless you are a corporation. Most of the money is owed by corporations.

[Hestia]

3. Wow - $250 bill - is that strictly water or + trash p/u, sewer, storm drainage, etc.?

[Man from Pickens]

4. Sorry water is for rich people only

just like everything else

you get to have water again when we do something about the everything being for rich people only problem

until then we have bigger fish to fry, like a homophobic pizzeria

[appalachiablue]

5. Rotten. Good old Balto. I'd heard the hedge fund finance vultures were circling around Balto. &

Buffalo as predators do when they see prey, esp. weakened prey. Real shame- Thanks for the post. Also have heard residents in that area say their water is owned by a French company. That's global economics now.

[Omaha Steve]

6. There is a NE State Senator that wants to sell our PUBLIC water & gas utility

Maybe I should send him this story.

[Octafish]

7. Their contempt for humanity is beyond obvious.

And yet, no matter whom is in office, they continue to speed the slaughter.

[JEB]

8. Water should be free to individuals and families.

But some powerful people stand to make a lot of $$$$$$$$ by turning it into commodity.