As 12 Million Americans Lose Water Protection, New York Passes Landmark Utility Shutoff Law

WASHINGTON— Yesterday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law to protect water rights and access to other utilities during the COVID-19 state of emergency in New York State. This comes as other state and local moratoriums on water shutoffs have been starting to expire, removing protections and leaving an additional 12 million people at risk of losing water service amidst the pandemic. Already three statewide orders, another three partial statewide orders and at least 38 local  moratoriums have expired.

Leading advocates are now demanding that Congress follow New York’s lead and pass a national moratorium on utility shutoffs that lasts for the full length of the pandemic and for six months following its end in order to protect all Americans.

In response, Mary Grant, Water-For-All Campaign Director for Food & Water Action, released the following statement:

“We applaud New York State for providing necessary utility protections, and we demand that Congress step up too in order to protect residents from losing access to water during the pandemic. Already at least three statewide and 41 local moratoriums on water shutoffs have expired removing water shutoff protections for more than 12 million people. Meanwhile, coronavirus cases are starting to rise again. 

“Before the pandemic, an estimated 15 million people a year experienced a water shutoff in this country. Since then, more than 44 million people have lost their jobs and filed for unemployment, so our pre-existing water affordability crisis has only deepened. Water shutoffs over an inability to pay are always a human rights violation and the global pandemic underscores what is at stake when people are denied the resources they need to live simply for being poor. 

“The House of Representatives has passed a nationwide shutoff moratorium, but the Senate failed to act and is slow-walking the next stimulus bill. We need our Congressional leaders to follow New York’s lead and pass a national moratorium on shutoffs with service restoration for all who have already lost running water service for an inability to pay. And we need them to do it now.”

See our water shutoff moratorium tracker here.

Details on expired moratoriums: