Researchers upbeat, say Flint water improving from lead mess

In the most recent round of testing in July, 45 percent of homes did not have detectable levels of lead, compared to only 9 percent of homes in August 2015. While the findings showed continued improvement, Edwards urged residents continue the use bottled and filtered water.

On July 29, Snyder reported more encouraging results from separate water tests conducted by the state at more than 160 Flint homes.

The announcement is expected to include data from the third round of lead in water testing, the second round of water heater disinfection byproduct testing and a study of water heater flushing and Legionella testing. “Flint’s system is on its way to recovery”.

“It’s very possible that the city of Flint is passing the lead and copper rule, but we can not say that”, Edwards said.

Virginia Tech researchers who exposed the lead problem in Flint, Michigan, gave an upbeat opinion of the city’s water quality Thursday after finding no detectable levels of the toxin in almost half of 162 homes tested in July.

Flint’s water was contaminated in 2014.

Federal Environmental Protection Agency officials said they will gather Edwards’ team as well as city and state officials in Chicago later this month to review the latest test results by several parties in Flint over the last several months.

“It might very well, across the country, take 100 years before we get all the lead plumbing out”, said Edwards.

“It remains unclear when it will be safe for the people of Flint to turn on their faucets and drink water straight from the tap”, Weaver said in a statement Tuesday.

“Things are dramatically better now”, Edwards said.

Weaver said efforts to replace Flint’s lead pipes remain in motion, and added that the city’s state-appointed Receivership Transition Advisory approved contracts for three companies to replace more lead pipes across the city.