Flint Residents May Face Foreclosure Due To Unpaid Water Bills

According to the Washington Post, letters calling for Flint, Michigan homeowners to pay “outstanding water bills” were mailed to over 8,002 people last month. The news site adds that the city aims to collect $5.8 million in fees.

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As a result of this mandate, residents face the risk of foreclosure if the bill goes unpaid, despite the years they endured with tainted water. Ultimately, the blame rests upon the city’s officials who mishandled the treatment of Flint’s water supply, leading to a mass contamination filled with lead and other detrimental elements. This statement remains true for Rep. Daniel Kildee (D-Mich.) who said, “Flint families should not have to pay for water that they still cannot drink.”

Recently, Michigan officials discontinued an initiative that footed residents’ water bills, adding that $41 million was spent throughout the initiative’s tenure, Washington Post adds. Three years ago, the water crisis began when Flint swapped their source from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to the Flint River. A few people who consumed the drinking water endured health ailments or were diagnosed with Legionnaires Disease.

READ: Flint Citizens Are Initiating A $700 Million Lawsuit Against EPA For Water Crisis

“I understand it’s the law, but I don’t like it because of the circumstances,” Mayor Karen Weaver said in a statement. “We are working to see if any changes or something can be done to help the residents affected by this.”