Brian Steglitz

S > > The following story was reported today in the Lansing State Journal. > > We may want to make sure that we stay on top of this since this is likely to affect all water utilities in the State of Michigan. > > Is this something that we want to consider bringing in PAA for? > > > Randy > > te > > Bills seek clean water te > xxxEND_PAGE:deq24_b416_1013_1015_1 > Democrats react to lead in Flint, Detroit shutoffs > > PAUL EGAN > > DETROIT FREE PRESS > > Lead contamination of drinking water in Flint and large-scale shutoffs of tap water in Detroit have prompted a package of bills that lawmakers say will ensure clean and affordable drinking water for all Michigan residents. > > The bills, which have mostly Democratic but at least one Republican sponsor, were announced at a Capitol news conference Thursday and are aimed at stopping contamination, aggressive shutoffs and exorbitant pricing of drinking water. > > "We all believe that water is a human right," said Rep. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, one of the sponsors. "What has happened in our cities could happen anywhere in our state." The bills would establish clean drinking water as a human right; increase transparency about water rates and shutoffs; ensure that Michigan Department of Environmental Quality testing standards comply with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards; prohibit utilities from charging customers during a period of time the customer did not receive a bill, provided the customer has advised the utility about the non-billing; heighten notice requirements for water shutoffs and protect certain people, such as pregnant women, from having their water shut off, and reduce the crime of a customer reconnecting to a water supply without authorization from a felony to a misdemeanor. > > The state recently acted to reconnect the City of Flint to Lake Huron > water supplied by the city of Detroit after state officials first > denied but later conceded that corrosive water drawn from the Flint > River as a cost-cutting move had resulted in unsafe levels of lead in > > "What we're seeing is complete disregard for human life, human safety and the future of our children." > > "What my family has gone through is horrific," said Melissa Mays, a Flint mother of three whose children drank lead- contaminated water. "What we're seeing is complete disregard for human life, human safety and the future of our children." > > In Detroit, widespread water shutoffs last summer over delinquent bills drew international attention as a human rights issue and sparked litigation by residents alleging they were denied their due process rights. > > Nicole Hill, a Detroit mother of three who has had her water shut off twice due to what she said were billing errors and other administrative problems in Detroit. > > She said she received the shutoffs despite paying close to $3,000 for water during a two-year period. "When questioned about the account, they would say computer glitch, or we don't know, or you have a leak," Hill said at the news conference. > > Rep. Edward Canfield, R-Sebewaing, did not attend the news conference but said he is part of a working group developing the bills and plans to sponsor at least two of them, including one related to whether customers should be liable for charges for time periods when they have not received bills. He said he hopes there will be other Republican co- sponsors for some of the bills. > > "I don't believe | can necessarily support every bill that comes out of this package," but "this is not some- thing that | view as a political issue," said Canfield, who represents a district in Michigan's Thumb area where he said some constituents have had trouble with access to clean drinking water. > > Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint, issued a statement in support of the bill package. xxxEND_PAGE:deq24_b416_1013_1015_2 > > "A comprehensive, bipartisan effort from the entire legislature is necessary to achieve important changes, and the bills announced today are a good start," Ananich said. > > Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter@paulegan4. > vVvvv > > Melissa Mays of Flint at a news conference about drinking water legislation: "What my family has gone through is horrific." > > PAUL EGAN/DETROIT FREE PRESS xxxEND_PAGE:deq24_b416_1013_1015_3