Macomb County Exec Says New Water Authority Will Drown Customers in Rate Hikes
The Macomb County Exec says Metro Detroit’s new water authority will cost region millions of dollars in rate hikes.
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department manhole cover.
This week Metro Detroit officially has a water system governed by the entire region.
The new Great Lakes Water Authority is leasing Detroit’s pipeline system which provides water to most of southeastern Michigan.
By every account it’s an historic bit of cooperation in a tri-county area where officials spent decades battling over water rates.
But not everyone’s a fan.
Macomb County voted against creating the authority.
County Executive Mark Hackel tells WDET’s Quinn Klinefelter the new water authority is mainly a device to help keep Detroit out of bankruptcy, one he says will result in tens of millions of dollars in rate hikes.
