Hydrate Detroit offering to pay up to $1,000 for residents' water bills
(CBS DETROIT) - A nonprofit organization is offering to help Detroiters with their water bills this holiday season.
Hydrate Detroit announced that it would pay up to $1,000 for residents enrolled in the Lifeline Water Affordability program.
"We want to make sure people have access to running water this holiday season, so we are proud to pay off and cash out water bills for selected families," says chief executive director Demeeko Williams in a statement.
The organization says 20,000 residents are in the program with 6,800 residents having delinquency on their bills. Additionally, 2,800 people risk losing their lifeline plan benefits.
Residents have until Dec. 31 to sign up. To qualify, residents can fill out the water intake form on the Hydrate Detroit website at www.hydratedetroit.org and enter all the required information including name, address, water bill account number, tier level, and total amount due in the lifeline program.
Residents must be actively enrolled the the Detroit Water and Sewerage Lifeline Plan. If not enrolled, they must enroll in the Lifeline Plan administered by the Wayne Metropolitan Community Action Agency on their website.
"It's not wrong to provide a helping hand, but it is wrong to not help people by giving a hand up," vice chief director Beulah Walker said in a written statement.