Cobo Water Fair helps close to 1,500 Detroit residents avoid water shut-off

Moratorium has ended, but assistance is still available

DETROIT (Tell Us Det) - Nearly 1,500 Detroit residents sought help to get caught up on their water bill by attending the city sponsored Water Fair at Cobo Hall on Saturday, August 23. The Water Fair was presented by Council President Brenda Jones, Mayor Mike Duggan and the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) for customers to enter into payment arrangements prior to the August 25th end of the residential water shutoff moratorium.

At the fair, 1,140 customers enrolled into the new 10/30/50 payment plan agreement (PPA), while others who were able chose to pay off their bills. As of today, more than 25,000 customers are enrolled in a water payment plan, up from 17,000 a month ago when the moratorium first began.

“The goal of the shut-off moratorium was always to give as many city residents as possible a chance to get current with their water bill,” Mayor Duggan said. “The Water Fair at Cobo was a positive step in that direction.”

While the moratorium on residential water shutoffs ended August 25, customers can still enter into payment plans or apply for financial aid, said DWSD Director Sue McCormick.

“Help is still available for anyone who is still at risk of having their water service shut off,” McCormick said. “Customers can still come into any one of our service centers to enter into a payment plan. It is important that people act quickly, however, because we will resume shutoffs on Tuesday.”

McCormick also said that the extended customer service hours at its three locations and its call center will continue. Payment locations are open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday. The call center is open from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. during the week and from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

The 10/30/50 Plan requires a down payment of as little as 10 percent of the past due balance, with the remaining balance spread into 24 monthly payments. A missed payment means the customer can re-enroll with a 30 percent down payment of the outstanding balance, and a second missed payment requires 50 percent down.
Detroit Water Fund Provides Assistance

At the Fair, DWSD staff qualified 150 customers for assistance from the Detroit Water Fund, which has about $2 million available to help qualified residents pay their water bill. Another 75 customers were provided applications for the program, which is being run by United Way of Southeastern Michigan. Anyone wishing to find out if they are eligible for Water Fund assistance can visit any one of the DWSD customer service centers.

DWSD says that as long as a resident’s water hasn’t been shut off, PPAs can be made to take an account out of shutoff status. PPAs can be made at one of three locations in the city: 735 Randolph (downtown, at Bates); 13303 McNichols (eastside, 1.5 blocks west of Gratiot); and 15600 Grand River (westside, one block west of Greenfield).

Even after the moratorium expires, PPAs can be made and assistance can be applied for through the Detroit Water Fund. Water that has been shut off will be turned back on once a PPA has been made.

Cobo Water Fair By the Numbers
• Total Number of Customers Serviced at Cobo Fair - 1340


• Total Amount Collected at Cobo Fair - $52,388.23 (467 payments)


• Total number of Payment Agreements created at Cobo Fair - 1,140

• Total Number of Accounts with Active Installments - 25,880

• Total Account Balance for Active Installments - $18,280,966.01

• Total number of people pre-qualified for Water Fund assistance - 150
75 more were not processed by provided applications