Tag Archives: Detroit

United Nations Scolds Detroit for Human Rights Violations in Cutting Off Service to Those Who Have Not Paid Their Water Bills

If health care is a “right,” what about water?

The city of Detroit, Michigan, is the largest city in the U.S. to declare bankruptcy. As part of its efforts to become fiscally sound, when its customers were $115 million behind in delinquent payments for water and sewer, Detroit began turning off water service to the tens of thousands of residents who were 60 days or more than $150 behind. Activists in Detroit reported that decision to the United Nations, which sent two human rights lawyers, called U.N. special rapporteurs, to investigate.

The U.N. representatives, Leilani Farha and Catarina de Albuquerque, have now determined that Detroit is in violation of international human rights obligations that are binding on the U.S. As Fox News reports, one of the representatives, Catarina de Albuquerque, explained that:

It is contrary to human rights to disconnect water from people who simply do not have the means to pay their bills.

If health care and water are inalienable rights, what about food, clothing and shelter?

Sarah Baker is a libertarian, attorney and writer. She lives in Montana with her daughter and a house full of pets.