Should Decatur end residential water shutoffs during excessive heat?
Excessive heat is a leading cause of weather-related deaths, and in an era of global warming, cities should be prepared for hotter temperatures for longer periods of time. Heat-related deaths are preventable, and Decatur can do more to mitigate heat-related impacts. In the long term, the city could monitor the number of heat-related illnesses and deaths and establish a plan to reduce them. In the short term, the city council could stop water shutoffs of occupied residences during extreme heat which under the current ordinance is taking place.
The argument for not shutting off water during heat advisories is similar to the argument for not shutting off power during the winter months. We don’t want residents to become dehydrated during heat advisories, and we don’t want residents to freeze in cold weather. Last July, the U.S. Department of Labor announced rules to protect workers from excessive heat. This is a positive development in protecting workers that I am very supportive of. Among other things, employers would protect workers from heat by implementing requirements for drinking water and rest breaks. There is substantial irony, however, that the city is protecting its workers from excessive heat while simultaneously shutting off the water of Decatur residents thereby making them more susceptible to excessive heat.
Many Decatur residents have difficulty paying their bills. In Decatur, the median household income is $50,809, the poverty rate is 19.1%, and there are thousands of families in the city that are rent or mortgage distressed. Decatur families should not be forced to decide whether to pay the rent/mortgage, buy groceries, purchase medication, or pay utility bills during times of extreme environmental conditions. People ultimately need to pay their bills, but it is difficult to see how individuals that suffer heat-related illnesses and death due to dehydration will be in a position to reimburse the city for their unpaid water bills.
Why hasn’t Decatur already ended water shutoffs during excessive heat? Three arguments have been made against such a policy: 1) individuals will take advantage of the system, 2) residents have other places such as cooling centers to stay safe, and 3) it is not a common practice. As rebuttals, 1) individuals will still be responsible for paying their water bill, the city simply won’t turn it off during heat advisories, 2) shutting off water should not be a catalyst requiring families to rely on social services such as cooling centers, and 3) as global warming intensifies, more cities will be adopting policies that protect their residents from heat emergencies.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, during excessive heat individuals should stay cool, stay hydrated, and stay informed. Prohibiting water shutoffs during heat advisories is an action the city council can take to help residents stay hydrated. Such a change in policy by the city council is long overdue and may very well save a person’s life.