DETROIT – For more than 20 days, a Detroit family lived in a rental home without running water, despite being told the property was livable before they moved in.
Water service was finally connected on Wednesday (Jan. 28) morning, but the family says they are still dealing with issues.
Without running water, the Granberry family relied on jugs and bottled water for nearly all their daily needs, bathing, cooking, and even flushing the toilet.
They poured water into the toilet tank just to use it.
“It shouldn’t have to be like this,” Eugenia Granberry said. “We just want running water.”
Granberry said that when they toured the rental, they were told the house was livable and that a hot water heater and tank would be installed once they moved in.
The equipment was installed Jan. 3, but she said running water was not connected until Jan. 28.
When some faucets were turned on on Wednesday, the water that came out was only dripping.
“You can’t do anything,” Granberry said.
Grandberry said the situation has made it harder for the family to care for themselves and for their terminally ill child, Javari Granberry, whose nurse visits have been affected by the lack of basic utilities.
She said her husband repeatedly contacted the company they’re renting through to find out why it was taking so long to restore service, but felt she was being given the runaround.
Local 4 called the person the family had been dealing with.
That man said he was not involved and directed us to call his company’s front office.
We called the number he gave us, and a woman answered.
She provided another number, we reached out to that person, and left a voicemail.
We’re waiting to hear back.
Local 4 also reached out to the City of Detroit about this situation.
A supervisor who didn’t want her information used said she was familiar with the case.
She said the home had a broken curb stop valve that needed to be repaired and reconnected to the city’s line. She said the work should have been completed before they moved in.
“It’s awful,” Granberry said.
A supervisor in Detroit’s property maintenance division said renters can protect themselves by checking a home’s status on the city’s website to see if it’s an approved rental.
When Local 4 looked up the rental Eugenia and her family were living in, it showed it was not approved.