BENTON HARBOR, Michigan — Three years ago, dangerous levels of toxic lead in this city’s drinking water sparked public outcry and a sweeping mandate from EPA to take action.
But while the city recently resolved that problem by getting rid of its lead pipes, another water crisis has since unfolded.
After decades of population decline and the loss of major industries, Benton Harbor is struggling to pay for upkeep of its water system. Water rates in the city of 9,000 people have been rising faster than inflation, posing a major burden in a community where nearly 45 percent of residents live below the poverty line.
A potential solution is to link up with a neighboring city and shutter the water treatment plant, a towering Art Deco structure along the Lake Michigan shoreline. But the idea of relying on another community for water is a tough pill to swallow for some residents, raising concerns that the majority Black city could lose its identity, autonomy and economic prospects.
