The present water shutoff crisis in Detroit, which has deepened with the spread of COVID-19, exists within an historical context of decades-old government-sanctioned racial residential segregation policies that continue today. This includes the decrease in black homeownership and wealth, integration, and democratically elected governance. Information collected by local grassroots organizations, Detroit newspaper reports, and academic research, specific to the metropolitan area, reveal the interrelationships among banking/housing industries, water access, and government policies. The result has been diversions of taxpayer money away from affordable housing, home loans, and public services (i.e., water). Instead, public resources are distributed to support those in powerful political and economic positions. Although water has not been formally privatized, we argue that a system of commodification exists, which taxes/fines the impoverished black population of the City of Detroit, but provides free and/or reduced water rates to the elites and largely white suburban population. The immediate actions required are reconnecting household water, providing affordable housing, redirecting taxpayer funds to the benefit of the public good, and government transparency and accountability. Collaborative networks of local environmental organizations, including mostly black participants, are leading the public opposition to these policies and directly link water shutoffs to public health. We suggest that future research efforts focus on work that increases the public awareness of the systemic linkages among water shutoffs, public health, racist social structures, housing patterns, and government policies. Continued active democratic participation of community residents must be a priority in future research and organizing activities.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.