Home foreclosures, frugal water use and a cool summer have resulted in a cash flow problem for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, the Detroit Free Press reports; the department is planning to respond with rate increase next month. Water rates are expected to go up by as much as 10 percent and sewer rates by as much as 17 percent.

The Department, which serves the city of Detroit and 125 surrounding suburban communities, is faced with maintaining aging infrastructure with less income.

Hard times in Detroit means over 10,000 residential, industrial and commercial water accounts are currently facing shut-off for non-payment, the Detroit News reports, and donations to a program that helps struggling families keep the water on have dropped.