DETROIT — The United Nations Human Rights Council is expected to intervene in Detroit’s water crisis. 

In March the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department announced it would issue shut-off notices to customers with unpaid balances that exceeded $150 and were more than two months behind on their payments. The DWSD said about half of the 324,000 water and sewerage accounts have outstanding balances that are past due. About 46,000 notices have been issued since March and about 4,500 accounts have had their water shut-off. 

UNHRC has received formal allegations that the Detroit water shut-off threatens to violate U.N.-established human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation mandates. According to reports, the UN is planning on conducting confidential policy decisions with the Obama Administration over the issue.