Please leave this field empty
Donate Monthly Make a Gift Renew Your Membership Ways to Give
Food & Water Watch Food & Water Watch Food & Water Watch
  • About
  • Problems
  • Campaigns
  • Impacts
  • Research
  • Contact
Donate Monthly Make a Gift Renew Your Membership Ways to Give
  • facebook
  • twitter
Please leave this field empty
Food & Water Watch Food & Water Watch
$
Menu
  • About
  • News
  • Research Library
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Donate
Search
Please leave this field empty
  • facebook
  • twitter

Group Slams Washington Governor Inslee for Inaction on Water Access During Health Crisis

Despite being the first state with a confirmed case of COVID-19, Governor Inslee has lagged behind other governors to ensure water access

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • google-plus
  • envelope

We all need safe food and clean water.

Donate
04.6.20

Seattle, WA— Today, Food & Water Action, a national advocacy organization with more than 30,000 members and supporters in Washington, called on Governor Jay Inslee to immediately halt water shutoffs due to nonpayment and to restore service to all disconnected customers. The group also called on the Governor to waive late fees or reconnection fees. As of Sunday, April 5, 11 states and Washington, D.C., have suspended water shutoffs for all water providers. The governors of California, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin have also ordered service to be restored. 

Despite being the first state with a confirmed case of COVID-19, Governor Inslee has lagged behind other governors who have taken action to ensure access to running water during the crisis. Based on public statements and reports, six out of the state’s 25 largest water providers by service population have not stopped shutoffs or restored service, leaving nearly half a million people unprotected from water shutoffs. Only two of the largest providers have started restoring service. The state’s largest private water utility also does not have such policies in place. 

In response, Thomas Meyer, a Seattle resident, and Food & Water Action’s Regional Organizing Manager issued the following statement:  

“It has been 75 days since the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Washington. It is shameful that Governor Inslee has not yet used his full authority to guarantee access to water for everyone in our state during this crisis. It is simply not enough to rely on voluntary actions by individual utilities and private companies. Washington residents who are staying home to help stop the spread of COVID-19 must have access to water, and workers who have lost jobs and benefits cannot be further burdened by the threat of late fees and penalties. As more lives are lost every day, Governor Inslee must act immediately to guarantee access to water for all Washingtonians.”

Related Links

  • We Need a Country-Wide Moratorium on Water Shutoffs Amid Coronavirus
  • Quarantine At Home - Even Though We’re Shutting Off Your Water
Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version

Monsanto's Roundup is a "probable human carcinogen." We need to ban it!

Get the latest on your food and water with news, research and urgent actions.

Please leave this field empty

Latest News

  • Trump’s Out, Biden’s In! Now The Fight Of Our Lives On Climate Begins.

    Trump’s Out, Biden’s In! Now The Fight Of Our Lives On Climate Begins.

  • Biden’s 100-Day Must-Do List for a Cleaner, Healthier Country

    Biden’s 100-Day Must-Do List for a Cleaner, Healthier Country

  • Fracking, Federal Lands, And Follow-Through: Will President Biden Do What He Promised?

    Fracking, Federal Lands, And Follow-Through: Will President Biden Do What He Promised?

See More News & Opinions

For Media: See our latest press releases and statements

Food & Water Insights

Looking for more insights and our latest research?

Visit our policy & research library
  • Renewable Natural Gas: Same Ol' Climate-Polluting Methane, Cleaner-Sounding Name

  • The Case to Ban Fracking on Federal Lands

  • Dangerously Deep: Fracking’s Threat to Human Health

Fracking activist with stickersFracking activist in hatLegal team loves family farmsFood & Water Watch organizer protecting your food

Work locally, make a difference.

Get active in your community.

Food & Water Impact

  • Victories
  • Stories
  • Facts
  • Trump, Here's a Better Use for $25 Billion

  • Here's How We're Going to Build the Clean Energy Revolution

  • How a California Activist Learned to Think Locally

Keep drinking water safe and affordable for everyone.

Take Action
food & water watch logo
en Español

Food & Water Watch mobilizes regular people to build political power to move bold & uncompromised solutions to the most pressing food, water, and climate problems of our time. We work to protect people’s health, communities, and democracy from the growing destructive power of the most powerful economic interests.

Food & Water Watch is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Food & Water Action is a 501(c)4 organization.

Food & Water Watch Headquarters

1616 P Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20036

Main: 202.683.2500

Contact your regional office.

Work with us: See all job openings

  • Problems
    • Broken Democracy
    • Climate Change & Environment
    • Corporate Control of Food
    • Corporate Control of Water
    • Factory Farming & Food Safety
    • Fracking
    • GMOs
    • Global Trade
    • Pollution Trading
  • Solutions
    • Advocate Fair Policies
    • Legal Action
    • Organizing for Change
    • Research & Policy Analysis
  • Our Impact
    • Facts
    • Stories
    • Victories
  • Take Action
    • Get Active Where You Live
    • Organizing Tools
    • Find an Event
    • Volunteer with Us
    • Live Healthy
    • Donate
  • Give
    • Give Now
    • Give Monthly
    • Give a Gift Membership
    • Membership Options
    • Fundraise
    • Workplace Giving
    • Planned Giving
    • Other Ways to Give
  • About
  • News
  • Research Library
  • Contact
  • Careers
  • Donate
Learn more about Food & Water Action www.foodandwateraction.org.
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • 2021 © Food & Water Watch
  • www.foodandwaterwatch.org
  • Terms of Service
  • Data Usage Policy