Water shutoffs were a public relations nightmare last year. Detroit set up payment arrangements and went on a campaign to emphasize that people needed to pay for water.
With all that done, the city now plans another push to cut off water for those with delinquent bills.
The city will distributing shut-off notices beginning May 11, warning of a 10-day window to get assistance or face cutoff, Christine Ferretti of The Detroit News writes:
Service will not be turned off if customers who cannot afford to pay sign up for help, says Gary Brown, Detroit's chief operating officer. The city has about 20,000 to 25,000 delinquent residential accounts.
The shut-off notices will be hung on residents' doors. Brown said experience has shown that once the door knockers go out, about 50 percent of the people come in, get on a plan and make a payment. The other 50 percent, he said, will come in and make a payment the day their water is shut off.
