LANSING — In recognition of National Water Quality Month, state Rep. Abdullah Hammoud (D-Dearborn) submitted a letter to state Rep. James Lower, chairman of the House Local Government and Municipal Finance committee Monday, formally requesting a hearing on a package of bills introduced by House Democrats in March to protect Michigan families and preserve every resident’s access to safe, clean water.
“Each year, National Water Quality Month provides us the opportunity to reflect on what we’ve done to ensure access to the safe, affordable water every person deserves,” said Hammoud. “Nowhere is that access more important than here in the Great Lakes State, where Michigan residents have been forced to face crisis after crisis when it comes to how and where they get their water. The package we introduced in March represents an important first step to eliminating some of the barriers to equitable water access in the state, and after what many of our state’s families have been put through in the last few years, I know that access to clean water isn’t a partisan issue. I look forward to working with Chairman Lower to get the process rolling on this package, and to put us one step closer to guaranteeing that all people in Michigan have affordable access to the clean and safe water they need.”
Securing equitable water access is more critical than ever, with Bridge Michigan reporting more than 5,300 homes had their water service shut off in Detroit for a week or more during July of this year, one of the hottest months on record. Of those experiencing shut offs, it was estimated that at least 3,000 have gone without water for at least a month.
The 7-bill legislative package is designed to increase the affordability and safety of drinking water for households throughout Michigan. The package also increases consumer protections and transparency between citizens, government and water providers.
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