Water Shut-Offs Spark Detroit Protests

Nine people were arrested in Detroit on Friday in protests over controversial water shut-offs in two areas of the city. The protests centered around Homrich Wrecking Inc., a private contractor charged with executing some of the shut-offs. The turnoffs have been directed at households with overdue balances of more than $150, resulting in shutoffs to more than 15,000 homes. A Detroit Department of Water and Sewage spokesperson, however, claims that service has not been cut off for anyone who has come forward with a “legitimate problem” paying a bill.