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Judge Rhodes Boiling Over Water Shutoffs; Says It's Hurting Detroit's Rep

July 15, 2014, 3:40 PM

A visibly upset U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Steven Rhodes expressed displeasure Tuesday with the city's aggressive push to cut off water to delinquent customers, saying it's hurting Detroit's reputation in the world community, the Detroit Free Press reported.

At a bankruptcy hearing in downtown Detroit, Rhodes told the told Darryl Latimer, deputy director of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, that he wants the water executive next week to report back next week on ways to better address the daunting problem, Alisa Priddle of the Freep reported.

“It’s a problem that’s affecting this bankruptcy," Rhodes said.

“Your shutoff program has created a lot of anger in the city and a lot of hardship and bad publicity the city does not need,” Rhodes told Latimer, who stood before the judge. 

The Freep wrote:

The city has cut off water to thousands of the city’s residents. Rhodes said he hesitated to bring up the issue because he wasn’t sure it was under his jurisdiction, but he was unconvinced that the city is doing enough to help residents –— or even let them know of assistance to work out a payment plan when they receive a shutoff notice.


Read more:  Detroit Free Press


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