Detroit Water Department Introduces EasyPay Plan to Ease Burden of Overdue Bills

In a move aiming to alleviate the burden of overdue water bills among Detroit residents and organizations, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) has launched a new payment arrangement, the EasyPay plan. According to a CBS News Detroit report, the plan requires an initial payment of $10 and allows customers to spread the balance across 36 months, on top of ongoing monthly charges.

The program is open to all, irrespective of income, and includes residents, businesses, nonprofits, and faith-based organizations. Gary Brown, the director of DWSD, highlighted EasyPay's more accessible structure in comparison to its predecessor, the 10/30/50 Plan—which Brown admitted was overly burdensome, according to The Detroit News. With the previous scheme, many customers reportedly struggled with the escalating down payments required after each default.

Moreover, the introduction of the EasyPay plan accompanies the city's decision to resume water shutoffs for delinquent accounts, a move that comes in the wake of a falling collection rate, which has dropped 12% since 2020 as reported by WXYZ. Matthew Phillips, DWSD's chief of staff, underscored the necessity of collections for the maintenance of city assets.

Detroit's water bill struggles are not new, the area has a history of service interruptions for unpaid bills with estimates of affected households ranging between 17,000 to 23,000 annually, prior to the pandemic. Shutoff policies have faced criticism, and advocacy groups have lobbied for more equitable solutions, referencing United Nations human rights concerns. The DWSD did introduce the Lifeline Plan in August 2022, designed to aid the city's lowest-income residents, as The Detroit News notes. This plan seems separate from, the new EasyPay system which looks to widen assistance amidst resumed shutoffs.

The EasyPay plan offers a step towards a more manageable debt repayment, a sentiment affirmed by local Detroit resident Remuel Montgomery, who mentioned the difficult choice between paying water bills and buying groceries in an interview with WXYZ. Montgomery's situation echoes concerns of affordability amid rising costs of living. Residents and organizations interested in the EasyPay plan can enroll via the DWSD Customer Self-Service Portal or by contacting DWSD directly.