Gary Brown

unlike many European countries where it's illegal, U.S. households have a water connection is deactivated for non-payment of bills.

The many Americans has to wash without water for a time, as she told me that one of The Most important things you can do is your hands.

"I was without water for about six months now," says Akiva drought.

A Mother of two girls, she lives in one of The Most socially disadvantaged neighbourhoods, not only in Detroit, but the entire country.

"This Time was very stressful, but I got My Own disinfectant," says Akiva, adding that it was with aloe vera gel and alcohol as a temporary way to try to protect their children from The Virus

Prior to the pandemic, Akiva collecting water from neighbors and friends, to bathe their children.

"I would give them a bath every other day, or take a sponge bath to save water," she says to me. "It is depressing. "

Now, the visit of the neighbors is difficult, and this is not the only way, the life was very difficult during This Time for people without water.

"Most of the people whose water is turned off, look just like you and I," says the Reverend Roslyn Bouier.

"they (say) go to work Every Day and their children go to school," she said. "That is to say, they have toilets at home, find ways to drink water, or be able to wash their hands. "

"Well, there's the "shelter in place", the people are imprisoned in their houses without water, so that you can not use the toilet while you throw out and about, you have to your waste in the garbage. "

the Reverend Bouier is the Director of the bright moor-connection soup kitchen in Detroit. He distributed food to the needy, but in recent years, strongly focused to the penetration of water in the house, which were separated.

Although it is a national phenomenon, with 15 million American households face appreciated shutdowns a year, Detroit has received the attention due to the large number of interruptions.

although it is a city with high poverty and unemployment, it has a comparatively high fees for the water.

"The highest proportion of barriers among the black women. Women of color with babies," says Reverend Bouier, to explain The Massive impact, not only on health but the dignity of the affected.

"I have a customer whose water is out, who has to have their grandchildren and children with her, a total of 11 people in the house, and the water is off.

"she called me and told me that Her Daughter had all of the [coronavirus] symptoms, so that you could not come to fetch water, but she didn't want me to Drop Off water, because she was embarrassed that The Smell from her house was so bad. "

the Reverend Bouier, Detroit says to see the highest number of coronavirus cases in the areas in which it closed most of the households with the water.

This Week , were you and your volunteers hard at work in the food pantry of the cars with water loading for those who is separated is still your water.

to connect to several weeks after The City of Detroit has promised, again, to everyone's water during the Covid19 crisis.

The Head of The City Department of Water, Gary Brown , says they have identified a need to thousands of households, that the water be re-connected.

"Every person in The City of Detroit has the opportunity not to have an interruption in the supply, but you have to ask for help, and a willing participant," he says, saying The City has tried to people to encourage them to come forward, if you to affected.

the question about The Ethics of the shutdown, someone water in the First Place , something that The United Nations considers to be a fundamental right of the people, Mr Brown says that at least No One sold in his city, the non-payment.

"in contrast to other US cities, not Detroit will lose your home because you are behind with your water bill," he says.

"Ninety-two percent of the people paying your bills are On Time . I'm not saying that 8% is not a large number, it is Somewhere Between 18 and 20 thousand people, the fight. "

in Many cities in the United States is under no obligation to connect at all, have to keep the water to the house during this crisis. Some water departments have not yet even promised to stop, new disconnections for non-payment.

all of the leaves that many of the poorest Americans without water, not to follow the client is the Public Health message in This Time of crisis and may be at The Mercy of The Virus .

Detroit's water Department has now promised to connect the Akiva ' s water, but for now she has to take refuge to your children to temporarily stay with a friend.

Additional reporting by Eva Artesona

Source of news: bbc.com