40% of Detroit’s population is having their water shut off -

The Detroit Water and Sewage Department is conducting mass water shutoffs in Detroit, Michigan targeting over 120,000 accounts: over 40% of the city. This has been called a “human rights violation” by the United Nations. 70,000 of those accounts are residential accounts, or over 300,000 people directly affected.

Without water..

… dehydration becomes an immediate threat to Detroit residents. A lack of clean and drinkable water on a scale of this size can affect not only a family but the entire city almost immediately. The onset of dehydration is 1-2 days which, if left untreated, can result in death in as little as 5-14 days from onset. Making sure Detroit residents have a supply of clean drinkable water is our top priority.

Sanitation is the second concern. With lack of water for basic things like waste removal, food preparation and cleanliness of food preparation tools, disease can become a threat factor in a matter of weeks. If left unchecked, disease can spread in 2 months time.

Without water, the threat to the health and safety of Detroit residents becomes immediate, the resulting negative effects of mass water shutoffs begin just 2 days after shutoff and can become endemic in just 60 days time. When taking the scope into account (120,000 water accounts or 300,000+ people ) the implications become clear: this is a disaster zone – and immediate relief and preparation is needed.

 

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