Suburbs Will Have to Start Paying More for Detroit Water

It looks like the suburbs around Detroit are going to have to chip in more if they want to continue to enjoy the use of the city's water system.

Detroit's aging water system not only supplies the city, but also its suburban rings. Motown's system provides water wholesale to the suburbs (which means that it is initially cheaper than what Detroit's city residents pay in retail prices), which allows suburban leaders to tack on local charges to raise their own funds.

Sounds like a sweet deal for the 'burbs even now as Detroit is considering raising suburban rates higher than urban rates to pay for a $3.6 million, five-year plan to improve the system. Why? Because it sounds like suburban leaders can point the finger of blame at Detroit leaders when rates get raised instead of accepting responsibility for their own slice of the charges.

Or perhaps the suburban leaders would consider cutting their own budgets and services first and be thankful that Detroit pumps over 640 million gallons to 126 communities.