February 18, 2016
By Alex Johnson
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (click here) said Thursday he's sending an additional $2 million to help replace Flint's lead-contaminated water system....
...The grant announcement came a day after Weaver dismissed a separate plan offered by Snyder to study whether any of the pipes could be coated temporarily to get drinkable water flowing into city homes....
February 18, 2016
By Kate Gibson
The heavy toll exacted on the residents of Flint, Michigan, (click here) goes beyond the potential health consequences of consuming lead-contaminated water. It turns out that households in the city paid dearly for the privilege, with the poisoned water flowing through the city's taps last year being the most costly in the nation.
Data released Tuesday found that as of January 2015, the yearly water bill for a resident of Flint came to $864.32, roughly $500 more than what the average U.S. household paid for water from other public utilities, according to Food & Water Watch. The advocacy group reviewed the 500 largest U.S. community water systems. On the other end of the spectrum, the report says household water use was most affordable in Phoenix, Arizona, where the annual tab came to $84.24.
The report (click here) found large, for-profit owned systems charge 58 percent more than large publicly owned ones, with 87 percent of U.S. water customers getting their water from the latter....
This is the first time I heard of this group. Where have they been?
February 18, 2016
By Kathleen Gray and Paul Egan
Lansing — Without debate, (click here) the Michigan House of Representatives unanimously approved providing $30 million to Flint to help pay water bills for residents and businesses in the city.
The bill would give a credit that would be applied to how much water people consume — roughly 65% of the water portion of a resident's bill. Businesses would be eligible for credit of 20% of the water portion of their bills. Residents and business owners would still be responsible for paying the sewer portion of their bills.
Residents have long complained about having to pay for water they could not drink. A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court this week seeks more than $150 million in refunds and compensation for damages for water that the plaintiffs allege was dangerous, undrinkable and unusable....
By Alex Johnson
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (click here) said Thursday he's sending an additional $2 million to help replace Flint's lead-contaminated water system....
...The grant announcement came a day after Weaver dismissed a separate plan offered by Snyder to study whether any of the pipes could be coated temporarily to get drinkable water flowing into city homes....
February 18, 2016
By Kate Gibson
The heavy toll exacted on the residents of Flint, Michigan, (click here) goes beyond the potential health consequences of consuming lead-contaminated water. It turns out that households in the city paid dearly for the privilege, with the poisoned water flowing through the city's taps last year being the most costly in the nation.
Data released Tuesday found that as of January 2015, the yearly water bill for a resident of Flint came to $864.32, roughly $500 more than what the average U.S. household paid for water from other public utilities, according to Food & Water Watch. The advocacy group reviewed the 500 largest U.S. community water systems. On the other end of the spectrum, the report says household water use was most affordable in Phoenix, Arizona, where the annual tab came to $84.24.
The report (click here) found large, for-profit owned systems charge 58 percent more than large publicly owned ones, with 87 percent of U.S. water customers getting their water from the latter....This is the first time I heard of this group. Where have they been?
February 18, 2016
By Kathleen Gray and Paul Egan
Lansing — Without debate, (click here) the Michigan House of Representatives unanimously approved providing $30 million to Flint to help pay water bills for residents and businesses in the city.
The bill would give a credit that would be applied to how much water people consume — roughly 65% of the water portion of a resident's bill. Businesses would be eligible for credit of 20% of the water portion of their bills. Residents and business owners would still be responsible for paying the sewer portion of their bills.
Residents have long complained about having to pay for water they could not drink. A lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court this week seeks more than $150 million in refunds and compensation for damages for water that the plaintiffs allege was dangerous, undrinkable and unusable....
