Michigan, Flint leaders not addressing concerns

The mayor of Flint, Michigan, where lead-contaminated drinking water went unaddressed for months, wants to empower a more robust water management team to comply with federal safety standards, her spokeswoman said on Saturday.

The EPA letter called on city and state officials to develop a comprehensive plan to control the corrosion of water pipes.

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality spokeswoman Melanie Brown says the state received the letter and is reviewing it. Flint officials didn’t immediately respond to an email.

“We look forward to continuing our collaborative work with the EPA to ensure that Flint water is safe to drink and that the proper regulatory support is in place”, she said in a statement.

Senator Tester said, “We’re working on a package to help finance a rebuild, at least a partial rebuild, of that water system”. And it said that even as the city moves forward with the replacement of old pipes, having a plan to control corrosion is still important.

State agency Director Keith Creagh agreed to comply with the order while raising doubts about its legality.

Friday’s letter wasn’t the first time EPA has written to state and local officials about its concerns about non-compliance with the order.

Flint didn’t add anti-corrosive chemicals after making the Flint River its water source in 2014, and the river’s water scraped lead from aging pipes.

Along with the $30 million the House approved last week, Governor Rick Snyder announced a $2 million grant will be available to start replacing lead pipes in several hundred Flint homes within the next 30 days. The EPA said it repeatedly and urgently communicated the steps that MI needed to take to properly treat Flint’s water.

Flint resident Jacqueline Johnson cries while praying before a mile-long march to the City of Flint Water Plant, Friday, Feb. 19, 2016 in Flint., Mich. The march was organized in part by the Rev. Jesse Jackson to highlight the push for more action on the city’s crisis with lead-tainted water.

According to the World Health Organization, “lead affects children’s brain development resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioral changes such as shortening of attention span and increased antisocial behavior, and reduced educational attainment”.

EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy issued the January 21 emergency order to Michigan DEQ, laying out specific steps for the state to get Flint’s lead contamination problems under control.