Label
Council Member Komives
Title
Resolution affirming the City of Toledo’s commitment to equitable access to clean, safe, and affordable water; and declaring an emergency.
Body
WHEREAS, the city of Toledo recognizes the basic human right of all people to equitable access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water to meet their basic needs; and
WHEREAS, the City of Toledo recognizes the human right to water as described in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 64/292;
WHEREAS, Lake Erie harmful algal blooms have forced water treatment upgrades, the formation of the Toledo Regional Water Commission, and the restructuring of contracts for regional water partners, giving rise to a need to re-examine policies to develop affordable water rates for City of Toledo retail water customers;
WHEREAS, the City of Toledo is committed to the protection of the rights of all residents and committed to assuring that access to water is not limited due to affordability and also that the purchase of water does not have a negative impact on the ability of residents to meet their other basic needs; and
WHEREAS, the City of Toledo recognizes that in order to make a better informed decision with respect to the affordability of water rates, more information is needed and input from the community is critical;
Summary
NOW, THEREFORE, Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Toledo:
SECTION 1. That the City of Toledo is committed to developing a water system that ensures all people residing in the City of Toledo have equitable access to clean, safe, and affordable drinking water.
SECTION 2. That the City of Toledo hereby creates a Water Affordability and Consumer Protection Committee, and commits that, through this Committee, it will take the following actions to address water affordability and consumer protections:
(a) Complete a study to provide recommendations targeted to address long-term equitable affordability of water in Toledo retail water system;
(b) Where appropriate, the committee shall make recommendations to the Department of Public Utilities on retail rate setting and consumer programs related to water and wastewater delivery based on research and data collected through an affordability study;
(c) Share data and information about retail water services including shut-offs;
(d) Review and revisit current policies to improve access to water services for tenants and homeowners and protect consumers;
(e) Develop measurable affordability benchmarks based on data to inform the decision making process for future rate setting and changes to consumer programs;
(f) Create a community engagement and feedback process to inform and develop affordable water rates and water programs; and
(g) Effectively communicate, to the best of its ability, all information regarding rates and programs to the community.
SECTION 3. That this Resolution is declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. The reason for the emergency lies in the fact that the same is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, safety and property and the assurance of affordable water rates for all residents.
Vote on emergency clause: yeas 12, nays 0.
Adopted: November 26, 2019, as an emergency measure: yeas 12, nays 0.
Attest:
Gerald E. Dendinger Matt Cherry
Clerk of Council President of Council
Approved: December 2, 2019
Wade Kapszukiewicz
Mayor