FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 10, 2014

Contact:
Lynna Kac!ec", Foo# $ %ater %atc!, &'()* '')+((0'
Ta,ana -etty, -eop.e/0 %ater 1oar#, &212* 422+3((2
Peoples Water Board Coalition Calls Regional Water
Authority an Assault Against Democracy and the
Human Right to Water
Community calls for protection and representation for all
regions residents
Detroit, Mich. 4 T!e -eop.e/0 %ater 1oar# #ecr5e# Mayor M5"e
D66an/0 p.an to create a re65ona. ,ater at!or5ty a0 n#emocrat5c
an# a t!reat to t!e !man r56!t to ,ater 7or many 5n t!e re65on8 %e
!a9e acce00 to t!e .ar6e0t bo#y o7 0r7ace 7re0!,ater 5n t!e ,or.#, 0o 5t
,o.# 0eem abn#ance an# acce00 0!o.# not be an 500e8 :o,e9er
t!e manner o7 6o9ern5n6 t!50 9a.ab.e re0orce a0 re0pon05b.e
en95ronmenta. 0te,ar#0 7or t!e ,or.# !a0 .e7t many commn5t5e0
,5t!ot tr0t8
T!e #ea. ,a0 ne6ot5ate# be!5n# c.o0e# #oor0 ,5t!ot any 5npt 7rom
t!e pb.5c an# 50 t!e ne;t 0tep on t!e pat!,ay to pr59at5<at5on8 It ta"e0
a,ay t!e r56!t0 o7 bot! t!e Detro5t C5ty Conc5. an# t!e c5t5<en0 o7
Detro5t to !a9e 5npt on b56 #ec505on0 5mpact5n6 t!e 0y0tem8
=Sbrban c0tomer0 0!o.# not be 7oo.e# 5nto t!5n"5n6 t!at t!50 #ea.
659e0 t!em more contro. or 5n>ence o9er t!e ,ater 0y0tem,? 0a5#
Lynna auchec! o" the Peoples Water Board8 =T!e ne, at!or5ty
,5.. be ma#e p o7 ne.ecte# o@c5a.0 ,!o are accontab.e to no one8
-eop.e nee# to "no, t!at t!50 #ea. #oe0n/t ta"e pr59at5<at5on oA t!e
tab.e8?
Beo.5a %ater Cort! Amer5ca, t!e .ar6e0t pr59ate ,ater company
operat5n6 5n t!e Dn5te# State0, !a0 been !5re# to e9a.ate t!e
mana6ement o7 t!e 0y0tem an# c.ear.y !a0 a 9e0te# 5ntere0t 5n
pr59at5<at5on8 -r59at5<at5on typ5ca..y re0.t0 5n 0"yroc"et5n6 rate0,
#ecrea0e# 0er95ce Ea.5ty an# t!e .o00 o7 Fob08 In 7act, corporate proGt0,
#595#en#0 an# 5ncome ta;e0 can a## 20 to 30 percent to operat5on an#
ma5ntenance co0t0, an# a .ac" o7 compet5t5on an# poor ne6ot5at5on
0"5..0 can .ea9e .oca. 6o9ernment0 ,5t! e;pen059e contract08 In t!e
Hreat La"e0 re65on, .ar6e pr59ate ,ater compan5e0 c!ar6e more t!an
t,5ce a0 mc! a0 c5t5e0 c!ar6e 7or !o0e!o.# ,ater 0er95ce8 T!50 50 not
t!e 0o.t5on 7or Detro5t or t!e re65on8
=T!e re65ona.5<at5on p.an 50 nacceptab.e8 %e nee# a 0y0tem t!at 50
accontab.e an# tran0parent an# t!at ,or"0 7or a.. 5t0 c0tomer0,? 0a5#
#a$ana Petty o" the Peoples Water Board8 =%e ,ant an e.ecte#
boar# o7 ,ater comm5005oner08 %e ,ant to re#ce co0t0 7or t!e re65on
t!ro6! b." prc!a05n6 an# re0orce 0!ar5n68 An# ,e ,ant to
5mp.ement t!e AAor#ab5.5ty -.an a0 pa00e# by Detro5t C5ty Conc5. 5n
200'8 Detro5t an# 0brban .ea#er0 nee# to protect re05#ent0 an#
#emocrat5<e t!e 0y0tem8?
The Peoples Water Board advocates for access, protection, and
conservation of water, and promotes awareness of the
interconnectedness of all people and resources
The Peoples Water Board includes! "#$C%& 'ocal 20(, Ba)ters Beat
Bac* the Bullies Brigade, +etroit Blac* Community #ood $ecurity
,etwor*, +etroit -reen Party, +etroit Peoples Platform, +etroiters
.esisting &mergency %anagement, &ast %ichigan &nvironmental
"ction Council, #ood / Water Watch, #'0W, -reat 'a*es Bioneers
+etroit, %atri) Theater, %ichigan Coalition for 1uman .ights, %ichigan
&mergency Committee "gainst War / 2n3ustice, %ichigan Welfare
.ights 0rgani4ation, .osa and .aymond Par*s 2nstitute, $ierra Clu5,
$isters of %ercy, 6oices for &arth 7ustice and We the People of +etroit
III