Today @coty_montag joins @foodandwater and @BmoreRightToH20 in Baltimore to support the Water Accountability and Equity Act that addresses the racial disparities in water access, rising prices and failing infrastructure that caused it. 
TMI’s 2019 report #WaterColor details the harmful, disproportionate impact skyrocketing water bills have on Black communities, leading to housing insecurity and declining Black homeownership.
tminstituteldf.org/publications/2…
tminstituteldf.org/publications/2…
Lack of water services can have a destabilizing effect: rates go up, people fall behind on payments, services are shut off, leading to evictions, foreclosure and health risks. Private companies charge 59% more than public water systems.
In the past 5 years, LDF has partnered with civil rights organizations to challenge water policies and advocate for a moratorium on shutoffs. These policies are particularly cruel amidst global pandemic when cities are wracked by water contamination crises vimeo.com/456692219
Baltimore was the first city to enshrine water affordability in their state constitution. In 2018, voters approved a charter amendment designating water as a permanent, inalienable asset of the city and banning privatization.
foodandwaterwatch.org/news/baltimore….
foodandwaterwatch.org/news/baltimore….
Even with the amendment, Black residents were being overbilled by hundreds of dollars. The Water Accountability and Equity Act would cap water bills for low income residents with credits. Water bills would not exceed 3% of household income. wmar2news.com/news/region/ba…
The consequences are clear: without water access, people risk losing their homes and their health. The water affordability crisis is an environmental justice and racial justice issue that must be addressed.
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