Over a Dozen Organizations Unite Behind Dievendorf’s Water Affordability Bill

“Affordable Water Now”aims to guarantee safe, affordable water for all Michiganders

For Immediate Release

MICHIGAN - Today, the Water Equals Life (WEL) Coalition celebrated Representative Emily Dievendorf’s introduction of the Water Affordability and Shutoff Protections Act, House Bill 4555, the first bill in a number to make up the Affordable Water Now legislative package. The new legislation provides a long-overdue solution to hundreds of thousands of Michiganders struggling to pay their water bill. 

“No family should have to choose between paying their water bill or keeping the lights on,” stated Representative Dievendorf, “With this legislation, we’re putting people first, especially renters, seniors, and low-income Michiganders who’ve been left behind for far too long. Our communities deserve a future where clean water is never out of reach.”

Water rates in Michigan have skyrocketed—up 40% on average since 2010 and as much as 320% in some cities—forcing some families to spend a staggering 25% of their disposable income just to keep the water running. 

Rising water costs aren’t just a fluke—they’re the result of decades of deferred maintenance, a changing climate, and soaring treatment costs. The federal government has slashed funding by 77%, passing the burden onto states, which in turn shift the cost to local utilities and, ultimately, the customer. The University of Michigan estimates that $19.8 billion is needed to upgrade Michigan’s water infrastructure over the next 20 years. 

"When water bills force families into impossible choices, it's a policy problem, not a household failure,” said Rebecca Meuninck, Great Lakes Regional Executive Director for the National Wildlife Federation. “This legislation from Representative Dievendorf meets the moment with real solutions and brings us a step closer to water security for all.”

The Water Affordability and Shutoff Protections Act answers a call to those struggling daily to keep water flowing for their families. The legislation would create a state-wide water affordability program that would provide:

• Income-Based Water Rates: This approach adjusts water rates using a sliding scale relative to federal poverty level and household income, ensuring water costs are manageable and everyone pays their fair share. 

• Automatic Debt Forgiveness: Offers debt forgiveness for customers who keep up with their adjusted bills, alleviating financial stress on households and preventing costly water shutoffs.

• Water Shutoff Protections: Protects enrolled customers from water shutoffs as well as households with minors, pregnant individuals, seniors, or those with medical needs. Limited renter protections included.

"Access to running water is essential for public health,” said Jada Robinson, Masters of Public Health, Michigan's Clinicians for Climate Change. “Without it, families face higher rates of skin and eye infections, gastrointestinal illnesses, and mental health stress. Unaffordable water threatens the well-being of entire communities, undermining efforts to prevent disease and promote safe, stable homes. Ensuring that every household in Michigan has reliable, affordable water isn’t just about infrastructure—it’s a critical investment in public health and community resilience."  

The legislation is modeled after Philadelphia’s Tiered Assistance Program (TAP), which proves that water affordability isn’t just good for families—it’s smart for utilities. The program brought in nearly $5 million in revenue for the city’s Water Department from customers who, without TAP, would’ve remained shut out of the system entirely—money the utility likely never would have recovered.

“The Water Affordability and Shutoff Protections Act offers a commonsense solution to Michigan’s water affordability crisis by lowering costs, increasing collections, and protecting vulnerable households,” said Jill Ryan, Executive Director at Freshwater Future. “Michigan is surrounded by freshwater—there’s no reason our families should be paying more than most Americans for this basic need. This bill is a chance to give Michigan families a break that makes water both affordable and sustainable.”

Supporting Voices

“Every Michigan community will benefit when water is made affordable based on income, and the human and economic costs of water shutoffs are virtually eliminated. We strongly support Representative Dievendorf’s work to protect water service for every Michigan family. This will raise the standard of living for our state and help protect the health and dignity of every resident.” - Denzel McCampbell, Managing Director, Progress Michigan

“The Water Affordability and Shutoff Protections Act is a win-win-win for Michigan. When more people can afford their bills, more people pay, which lightens the burden on families, communities, and water providers alike. We commend Representative Dievendorf for their courage and compassion in advancing this bold, practical solution. It keeps everyone safe by ensuring Water for Everybody, making sure every Michigander can keep water flowing in their home, while also helping utilities recover costs that would otherwise go uncollected.” - Monica Lewis-Patrick, President & CEO, We the People of Detroit

"PFAS contamination has forced communities to switch to municipal water or invest in costly treatment upgrades—pushing water bills even higher for families already struggling. Clean water is a right, not a privilege. The Affordable Water Now legislative package will ease the burden by ensuring all Michigan households can access safe, affordable water. No one should have to choose between paying their water bill and meeting their basic needs—let’s take action now." - Tony Spaniola, Co-Chair, Great Lakes PFAS Action Network

“Our families and communities cannot thrive and maintain good health and dignity without truly affordable water. The Water Affordability and Shutoff Protections Act is a necessary and urgent move to save lives.” - Tawana Petty, Executive Director, Petty Propolis

“This bill package, built on best practices and clear community needs, creates needed protections that guarantee water security now and in the future. This bill will provide security for every Michigan household so that no one has to be afraid that they will lose their water because they lost their job or got sick, or are just struggling to make ends meet. Protecting every person should be the goal of every utility and other public health institution, and these bills do just that.” - Luke Wilson, Deputy Director, The Center for Water Security and Cooperation

“East Michigan Environmental Action Council (EMEAC) affirms that water is a human right; and as such, our communities and all responsible government agencies must do everything possible to remove barriers to access to clean and safe water, by making the supply of clean, safe water affordable for all communities. We are proud to support the Affordable Water Now legislative package for the ways that its provisions reflect this deep commitment to the health and prosperity of all Michigan communities in safeguarding water affordability now and into a sustainable future.” - Paul Jackson, Executive Director, EMEAC

"Water is not a privilege—it is a fundamental human need. Water is indispensable—it is not a fungible good. As champions of justice and dignity, we recognize that access to safe, affordable water is essential for life, health, and stability. The Affordable Water Now legislative package is a necessary step toward protecting that right, ensuring no household is forced into hardship over a basic necessity. When we uphold water affordability, we uphold human rights."  -  Imad Hamad, Executive Director, American Human Rights Council

“No child should have to miss school because they don't have access to water for bathing, brushing their teeth or clean clothes. Unfortunately, this is the case for far too many children in Michigan. Affordable Water Now will mean more confident and healthy children in the classroom and families that have one of their most basic needs met with income-based water and protection from shutoff. We are in strong support of safe, clean, and affordable water for all Michiganders. Water is life. Affordable water is dignity.” - Angela Waters Austin, CEO, One Love Global

"Let us legislate with a commitment to honoring life. Water is a basic need. While the U.S. provides emergency health care and more assistance with food, access to water remains grossly insufficient for low-income families. Bottled donations cannot replace running water, which is vital for hygiene, disease prevention, and stable housing. Without it, families are separated, infectious diseases spread, and homes are condemned. As a people, may we secure water access within our laws, ensuring this essential resource for all Michigan households—water is life!" - Reverend Casstine Charrette, Transformational Council

“Local ratepayers cannot and should not be expected to shoulder the full cost of upgrading our aging water infrastructure. Clean, safe, and affordable water is a shared responsibility—and it requires meaningful investment from state and federal partners. The Water Affordability and Shutoff Protections Act, introduced by Representative Dievendorf is a vital step toward ensuring that every Michigan household has access to water they can afford, while also supporting the long-term infrastructure improvements our communities urgently need. This legislation helps strike a fair balance—empowering local residents to do their part without being overwhelmed by costs they shouldn’t bear alone.”  - Randy Dykhuis, Board Secretary & Treasurer, Capital Area Friends of the Environment

“Access to clean, affordable water is a fundamental human need and is essential to Reproductive and Healing Justice. For too long, Black women-led households and families across Michigan have faced impossible choices between water and other basic needs. The Water Affordability and Shutoff Protections Act offers the bold, statewide solution we need by tying rates to income, preventing shutoffs for vulnerable households, and offering much-needed debt forgiveness. It’s time for Michigan to invest in its people by protecting those who are often forgotten, and recognize that living and healing are not possible without clean, affordable water. The Wisdom Institute fully endorses this legislation because our lives depend on it.” - Cicely Allen, Co-Executive Director, The Wisdom Institute

“Water affordability is a crisis across the Great Lakes region that disproportionately impacts both rural and urban low-income residents. The Water Affordability and Shutoff Protections Act is a commonsense solution for Michigan families struggling with costly utility rates. Access to fresh and clean drinking water is a fundamental right, and the Alliance is proud to support this bill.” - Meleah Geertsma, Director of Clean Water & Equity, Alliance for the Great Lakes 

"No mother should ever have to choose between putting food on the table and keeping the water running. Water is a basic need—not a luxury. The Affordable Water Now legislative package is a vital step toward making sure families across Michigan can count on safe, reliable water without the burden of financial stress. Every home deserves the dignity of running water. It’s time we come together to make water truly affordable for all." - Jasmine Mitchell, Basic Needs Organizer, Mothering Justice

"We commend Representative Emily Dievendorf for introducing legislation that addresses water affordability with the urgency and care it deserves. Access to clean, safe, and affordable water should not be a luxury. The ability to decide if, when, and how to parent is directly impacted by whether families have the resources and environment to thrive. We uplift this work and the leadership that is making it possible." - Cassy Jones-McBryde, Michigan Chamber for Reproductive Justice

"As local residents who work to build a more just and sustainable Detroit, Water PEEPS members fully support the Affordable Water Now Bill because it provides a pathway for ensuring that all families have access to affordable water and that they are not at risk of water shut or losing their homes to water debt." -Cecily McCelland, Co-Founder, We the People of Detroit and Co-Chair, Water PEEPS

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The WEL Coalition is a coalition made up of local, Michigan-based, national, and global organizations that all believe in the vital importance of water for sustaining life, fostering healthy communities, and a thriving economy.