Making the Case for “Water for All” in Chicago
Last month, Legal Fellow Emma Clouse joined Chicago advocates, city officials, and elected alderpersons in a subject matter hearing to discuss a proposed new law, the Water for All ordinance.
The City Council’s Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy discussed the proposed “Water for All” ordinance (O2021-413) with residents, advocates, and city officials on August 27.
Developed by community groups and co-sponsored by 14 City Council members, the Water for All ordinance would make sure every Chicago household can access safe and affordable water. Since 2010, the cost of water has tripled in Chicago and become increasingly unaffordable for low-income households. When families can’t pay their water bills, they face mounting fines and fees which increase their debt, eventually resulting in a water shutoff.
An investigation by WBEZ found that since 2007, more than 150,000 water shutoff notices have been issued, mostly in Black and Latinx neighborhoods, with nearly 40% concentrated in five of the poorest zip codes in the city on the South and West Sides. Families who cannot pay their water bills are also at risk of losing their homes through tax foreclosure, a process which the City outsources to private law firms.
Chicago families can get some relief through the Utility Billing Relief program (UBR), which provides a 50% discount to low-income households and creates a debt forgiveness path after a year of paying those discounted bills on time. But UBR as it currently stands fails to provide relief to people who cannot afford even the discounted bill, and the program is not open to renters.
The Water for All ordinance would expand UBR to all low-income households, as Legal Fellow Emma Clouse explained during the hearing. Emma has supported the coalition in drafting the ordinance language, researching legal considerations related to water equity, and advocating for its passage before city officials. Chicago Lawyers’ Committee and our partner organization Advocates for Urban Agriculture joined the Water for All coalition after navigating water access policy for urban growers in the city.
“Research shows that households should pay no more than 3% of their income on water, and the Water-for-All ordinance makes this possible,” said Emma. “With more affordable water bills, households are able to make timely payments.”
The Water for All ordinance would also permanently ban water shutoffs and tax foreclosures, and prohibit the privatization of Chicago’s water systems in the future.
“We recognize as a city the deep racial injustice of how water shutoffs are conducted,” said ordinance sponsor Ald. La Spata during the hearing. “I believe this ordinance can, should, and will codify the great work that has already been started in our city.”
“I’m not going to sit here today and explain why water access is vital to life,” said Organizing Director Ab Weeks at Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation (SOUL). “The debate here today is whether or not we’re willing to put the lives of Chicago residents at risk, simply because they are too poor to afford it.”
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