Highland Park residents protest 'unfair sewer rates' from GLWA

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - Highland Park residents protested outside the Great Lakes Water Authority building on Wednesday over what they called ‘unfair sewer rates.’

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Those residents gathered with signs and megaphones in hand, disputing $1.5 million in payments. 

"To be someone who owns their home and to be threatened with bills being on our taxes and possibly losing our homes because of water bills, that’s upsetting, especially when you work hard for your home," said resident Cidia Wicker-Brown. "GLWA What do we want? Lower rates! When do we want it? Now! What do we want? Our 1.5 return, when do we want it? Now!"

"We looked at the rates that other cities our size are receiving, and they’re charging us 3–4 times more, which we don’t understand why this is happening," said Mayor Glenda McDonald. "So we’re here today to say hey, honor our agreement and pay us back the money that you’re overcharging us."

"I hope that GLWA understands that we are not going to go quietly into the night and just roll over and say they say we owe this money, so we got to figure it out, know we want to see, and we’re going to keep fighting to see why we owe the money, what all the charges are and try to find some kind of relief for the citizens of Highland Park," said Michigan State Senator John Conyers III.

The other side:

The GLWA responded in a statement that reads:

"GLWA maintains that an adjustment to Highland Park's charges is not appropriate. The parties have agreed to resolve their outstanding disputes through arbitration, and GLWA looks forward to a timely and final resolution through that process."

According to the statement, the GLWA does not agree with the dispute, but it does sound like residents or the City of Highland Park are backing down.

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