Yes, Highland Park water billing already supported a class action, and residents won income-based relief under a settlement. The current dispute is a contested city-utility fight over sewer charges, with no new consumer payout to claim. An affordability plan here means a court-ordered limit that ties water payments to household income. The Great Lakes Water Authority, or GLWA, is the regional agency that bills Highland Park for water and sewer service.
Official resources:
- Read the official notice from Highlandparkmi — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
- Explore the official data from Govdelivery — Use this primary source to review the underlying data.
Table of Contents
- What did residents already win?
- Why is the city disputing its sewer bill now?
- Does this dispute create a new consumer claim?
- What protection can residents use today?
What did residents already win?
Highland Park residents won income-based water relief after Michigan Legal Services filed a class action and settled it for all residents. According to Michigan Legal Services, the settlement provides income-based affordability plans to all residents, described in the Michigan Legal Services policy summary. An earlier case set the pattern for those complaints.
The City's February 2020 class notice says Kramer-Baker et al. v. Highland Park, No. 15-014492-CZ, alleged illegal billing, lack of due process, illegal shutoffs and tax-roll arrearages affecting thousands in bills, detailed in the February 2020 class notice.
Why is the city disputing its sewer bill now?
Highland Park now seeks a 1.5 million dollar reduction to its fiscal 2026 combined-sewer-overflow bill. The city says meter data show it was billed for about 3.25 million gallons per day while actual use is about 1.2 million gallons per day, according to the April city press release.
The city says GLWA charges it 2.065 percent of about 80 million dollars in regional annual overflow costs while its metered share is 0.21 percent. Planet Detroit reports the gap comes from a 1999 population and impervious-area formula rather than metered wet-weather volume.
Does this dispute create a new consumer claim?
The 10-year city-GLWA fight over roughly 55 million dollars ended in a March 21, 2024 settlement among the city, GLWA and Michigan, with state funds and a trust paying GLWA before the city. Michigan Business Network and GLWA records describe that agreement as closing that round of utility-debt litigation.
The new overflow claim remains contested. Planet Detroit reports GLWA says it is following the 2024 agreements and the 1999 allocation, so residents cannot treat the city's requested reduction as an approved refund.
What protection can residents use today?
Enrolled residents can pay 5 percent of income toward current and past-due water bills under the court-ordered affordability plan. Next City reports Highland Park's council also passed a 90-day shutoff moratorium on Oct.
5, explained in the Next City report. A separate backstop is Wayne Metro's Water Affordability Program, offering up to 3,000 dollars for overdue bills or shutoff risk. Planet Detroit describes that program as help for households facing shutoff while the larger billing formula stays in dispute.
- Check enrollment in the court-ordered 5-percent-of-income plan
- Ask whether the 90-day moratorium covers your account dates
- Apply to Wayne Metro if you face shutoff or a large past-due balance
- Keep bills, shutoff notices, payment receipts and enrollment letters