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Kaffer: Detroit water shutoffs are a "humanitarian crisis"

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The city of Detroit shut off water service to nearly 12,000 account this year because of overdue bills. Now more than 5,000 of those are still without water.

This year in Detroit the city water department has shut off service to nearly 12,000 accounts because of overdue bills. More than 5,000 of those are still without water. Detroit Free Press columnist Nancy Kaffer revealed the numbers in a story published Wednesday and calls the situation a humanitarian crisis. 

Kaffer and Michigan Radio’s Morning Edition host Doug Tribou discussed the latest numbers and a pilot program the city has started to help customers pay their bills and get their water back.   

You can read more of Kaffer's writing on the Opinion page at Freep.com and follow her on Twitter @NancyKaffer.

Doug Tribou joined the Michigan Public staff as the host of Morning Edition in 2016. Doug first moved to Michigan in 2015 when he was awarded a Knight-Wallace journalism fellowship at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.
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