FLINT, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – After state officials received results from sampling water found in Flint, the city has passed the state standard for lead levels for the sixth consecutive year.
In the water sampled in the last half of 2022, 90% of the water contained lead levels at or below 9 parts per billion, which lies beneath the federal safety standard of 15 parts per billion according to the Detroit News.
MORE NEWS: A New Day: Michigan House Republicans Select New Leader
Public health experts say no amount of lead in the water is considered safe, particularly for children, and not all buildings in Flint passed inspection.
“These results reflect our continued work to restore our water system and restore trust through adherence to state and federal guidelines,” Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said. “Through partnerships with state and local government, and the hard work of our Office of Public Health and Department of Public Works teams, we continue to move our community positively forward.”
Six of the 67 homes and commercial buildings serviced by lead service lines exceeded the federal standard according to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).
“The data shows that Flint’s investment of roughly $100 million in new copper service lines and millions of dollars in additional water infrastructure have clearly improved water quality for city residents,” Director of EGLE’s Drinking Water and Environment Health Division, Eric Oswald said in a statement. “The data also underscores the need to continue engaging with the public on opportunities to replace aging interior plumbing, flushing stagnant water every morning, and other strategies to reduce their potential exposures to lead in their homes.”
In 2018, Michigan adopted the nation’s toughest lead rules for drinking water according to Michigan officials, requiring that all lead service lines from the state be removed. Water suppliers beginning in 2021, are required to replace an average of five percent of their lead service lines annually over a 20 year period.
MORE NEWS: Schoolcraft Native Simkins Earns Third MAC Defensive Player of the Week Award for WMU
The report for the Flint water testing can be found here.
Leave a Comment
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.