Water is a human right—but for hundreds of thousands of Michigan families, it’s become an unaffordable luxury. Across the state, water bills are rising at staggering rates, with some households forced to pay more than 3% of their income just to keep the taps running.

That’s why we strongly support the bipartisan package of bills—Senate Bills 248 through 256—recently advanced by the Michigan Senate Housing Committee. If passed, these bills would cap water and sewer costs at 2–3% of income for eligible low-income households, forgive up to $3,000 in past-due bills, and prevent shutoffs for medically vulnerable residents. Most importantly, they would establish the country’s first permanent, income-based water rate system—a game-changer for economic justice and public health.

This plan isn’t just for Detroit, Flint, or any one community. It would help families from the Upper Peninsula to Saginaw, from rural townships to major cities. A Senate fiscal analysis shows it could help over 370,000 households statewide and close an average gap of $435 per family per year. That’s money many families desperately need to put toward rent, food, or medicine.

Organizations like the United Way, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Great Lakes Water Authority have endorsed the plan because they know: this is what long-term water justice looks like.

We urge the Michigan Senate and House to pass this full package of bills and make Michigan a national leader in affordable, equitable water access. No family should lose their water because they can't afford it. It’s time to protect our neighbors and guarantee this basic right.

Sign now to tell Michigan lawmakers: Pass SBs 248–256 and ensure affordable water for all!

Photo: Jackson Ranger | MLive.com