On:
In: Call to Action, Drinking Water, Public Health, Water Equity

by Amy Heldman

With Chicago located right on Lake Michigan’s border, it comes as a shock to many that although we have this tremendous body of water in our backyard, many do not have access to running water.  Skyrocketing water prices in Chicago have left many without access to the very thing that we need to keep us healthy and safe especially during the pandemic..

A 2019 investigation by WBEZ and American Public Media found that the cost of water in Chicago has tripled over the last decade, which was the highest rate as compared to six other Great Lakes cities examined in the investigation. Since 2007, Chicago’s water department has also sent more than 150,000 water shutoff notices. About 40 percent of those water shutoffs were located in 5 of Chicago’s poorest zip codes concentrated on the South and West Sides where residents are primarily low-income, black, and Latinx. 

One attempt to combat this human rights violation is the “Water-For-All” Ordinance. After failing to pass in 2017, the Water-For-All Ordinance, reintroduced in 2019, offers both homeowners and tenants income-based credits toward their utility bills, regardless of their current citizenship status. It would also ban water shut-offs and tax foreclosures, as well as prohibit any privatization of the city’s water supply. Eligibility would be both homeowners and tenants whose annual household income is below 200 percent of the federal poverty line.  This comprehensive approach is gaining support with 30 percent of  Aldermen in favor.

The pandemic exposed the water access inequities happening in Chicago and the urgency to remedy the problems. In an interview conducted by María Inés Zamudio, Vernal Green explains that a fire hydrant is currently his only source of water.  He carries his bottle of water back to his apartment where he uses it to bathe, wash dishes, and flush the toilet. Over two years ago water was shut off to repair a burst pipe, but the pipe was never fixed nor water service restored to his apartment. Residents like Mr. Green do not have the option of enrolling in a plan to get their water restored because they have no bills in their name. They count on their landlords to pay the city for water services. When their landlord does not settle an outstanding debt with the city, they are left with no water, in the midst of a pandemic. 

A similar provision in Chicago is the Utility Billing Relief (UBR) program, which was launched in April by Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration. It offers those qualifying a flat 50 percent discount on their utility bills and also gives bill forgiveness after one completed year of on-time payments. Jeff Whitelow with the Chicago Water Alliance has been assisting residents with UBR program enrollment, but many people are simply not eligible to participate because of income threshold limits and not owning their homes.

The Water-For-All Ordinance would help make Chicago water a public good. Unlike the UBR program, the proposed ordinance  encompasses all residents. It would allow all residents to afford and access drinking water that before was not possible. It is time to address water as a fundamental human right, not as a commodity to be sold. 

If you would like to show your support for the ordinance, tell your Chicago City Council member to work with their colleagues to swiftly pass the Water-For-All ordinance by submitting your comments through Freshwater Future’s quick and easy online action form HERE.

To learn more about the City of Chicago’s Utility Billing Relief (UBR) program, visit Chicago Water Alliance online HERE. For additional information and resources, contact Jeff Whitelow, Chicago Water Alliance at jeffwhitelow@yahoo.com

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/call-to-action/chicagos-water-for-all-ordinance-what-it-could-mean-for-the-future-of-chicago/

Freshwater Future

On:
In: Citizen science, community engagement, Environmental Justice, lead contamination, water affordability, Water Equity

Excerpts from American River’s “Water Justice Toolkit: A Guide to Address Environmental Inequities in Frontline Communities”

CLEAN AND SAFE WATER GUIDE (Page 30)

COMMUNITY CASE STUDY: WORKING WITH RESIDENTS TO ENSURESAFE DRINKING WATER

When a municipality issues an advisory on elevated lead levels in drinking water, residents are alarmed and looking for answers. Is my water undrinkable? Do I need a filter? Do I buy bottled water?

Freshwater Future partners community groups to make sure residents understand the advisory. Volunteers train neighbors on how to flush their water and install filters. Freshwater Future has even provided grants to pay volunteer stipends, share educational materials, and complete water testing for lead and other metals. And once the results come in, Freshwater Future is there to help analyze the data and communicate to communities and to the Health Department. Alexis Smith, Community Program and Technical Associate explains, “If you’ve ever seen a water analysis, you can imagine how overwhelmed these residents must feel. Environmental chemistry is not my background, so even for me, it was a learning curve. You have to learn the acronyms and the contaminants and what they can do. We translate and communicate what the data is actually saying.”

When it comes to drinking water, says Smith, “zero amount of lead is safe.” Freshwater Future remains engaged until all lead service lines are replaced or tests prove that the water is safe. “The residents tell us how they would like to move forward, and we support them every step of the way,” she says. “Whether that is through strategy for taking actions or funding to support their initiatives.” Freshwater Future offers a great example of how to follow the lead of the community.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION GUIDE (Page 102)

COMMUNITY CASE STUDY: ORGANIZING FOR WATER SECURITY DURING COVID-19 TOLEDO COMMUNITY WATER COUNCIL

Through robust public participation, the Toledo Community Water Council provides oversight and community support to the city of Toledo. The Council’s collective knowledge and insight have been key to developing the city’s water bill assistance program. Reliable access to water is becoming more expensive, and during COVID, water disconnection can have a devastating public health impact. For years, Freshwater Future has been working with the Toledo Community Water Council to address water issues throughout the City.

For residents experiencing water shutoffs due to nonpayment or leaks, this work has become even more urgent during the pandemic. “Utilities are run by engineers; often they don’t think about the social impact of these shutoffs on people working check to check,” says Alexis Smith, Community Program and Technical Associate for Freshwater Future. “When we organize to find solutions, our goal is—turn the water on, keep the water on.” Members of the Toledo Community Water Council organized to respond to rising water rates and the inequity and harm that results when city governments and utilities are not proactive and transparent. Freshwater Future has helped individual residents request assessments to identify water leaks driving up their water bills and file a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to understand why water rates continue to increase. They also helped the municipality identify funding for full lead service line replacement in order to lower the cost burden on residents.

To view the  full report by American Rivers:  Water Justice Toolkit: A Guide to Address Environmental Inequities in Frontline Communities

Original Article

Blog – Freshwater Future

Blog – Freshwater Future

https://freshwaterfuture.org/environmental-justice/water_justice_sections/

Ann Baughman