We’re almost a full year into this public health and economic crisis and water utilities are still shutting off water for people who may have fallen behind on their bill, leaving millions of people across the country unable to wash their hands in order to stay safe during the pandemic.
Although a water shutoff moratorium was included in earlier COVID relief bills from the House of Representatives, the Senate under Mitch McConnell failed to pass a water shutoff moratorium in the final COVID relief bill in December.
But this isn’t where we give up. A new administration brings a new avenue for change in 2021: President-elect Biden can issue an executive order mandating a national water shutoff moratorium when he takes office on January 20.
Earlier this week more than 600 groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity, Free Press Action and Black Lives Matter Global Network signed on to a letter urging President-elect Biden to issue an executive order to stop utility shutoffs, including water, during the pandemic.
President-elect Biden has the power to take bold, immediate action starting on day one of his presidency to stop water shutoffs. He could issue an executive order to stop water shutoffs and guarantee water for all faster than Congress could pass another COVID relief bill. People’s lives are at stake and there is no time to waste. We need to act now.
You’ve joined us in fighting water shutoffs since the beginning of this pandemic. And together, we took action to win hundreds of local and state water shutoff moratoria.
Last year, together we helped stop water service shutoffs in about 700 communities, protecting two-thirds of the country. But since then, state and local moratoria that were in place have been expiring. Less than half of the country is now protected, and more than 72 million people have lost the protections we helped win.We need to fight for them again, and for everyone across the country — and we need President-elect Biden with us.
Wenonah Hauter
Founder and Executive Director
Food & Water Watch
Food & Water Watch and its affiliated organization, Food & Water Action, are advocacy groups with a common mission to protect our food, water and climate. This email was sent to [email protected] - and we're glad you got it, because it's one of the most important ways you can reclaim political power, hold elected officials accountable and resist corporate control.
