Michigan Ag Connection - Flint Water Continues to Test Below Federal Levels

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Flint Water Continues to Test Below Federal Levels
Michigan Ag Connection - 01/23/2019

Since July 2016, the city of Flint's water system has tested below action levels of the federal Lead and Copper Rule (LCR). Federal regulations require that at least 90 percent of testing results come in at or below 15 parts per billion (ppb). The latest 6-month monitoring period from July 1 through December 31, 2018, shows that 90 percent of the Tier 1 samples collected are at or below 4 ppb. A Tier 1 site is considered at highest risk per federal guidelines. This includes homes that have a confirmed lead service line or meet other criteria that make it an eligible location to determine compliance with the federal LCR.

"This is now the fifth monitoring period, in a row, in which the city of Flint has met the LCR action level requirements for both lead and copper," said Eric Oswald, Director of the Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance Division for the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality. "We are pleased that Flint has resumed the responsibility for the sample collection this monitoring period and will continue their own compliance monitoring moving forward."

For over two years now, the city of Flint's LCR data shows that their water is testing the same as or better than similar cities across the state with 96.7 percent of the samples meeting the 15-ppb action level. A total of 61 samples taken at confirmed Tier 1 sites were included in the compliance calculation for this 6-month monitoring period. Only two of those results were above the 15-ppb action level for lead and the bottled water standard of 5 ppb was met by 95.1 percent of the samples.

To help ensure the city of Flints' water quality is maintained, residents are encouraged to use their water to keep fresh water flowing through the distribution system.

Free water filters, replacement cartridges, and water test kits continue to be available at Flint City Hall for residents who have service line replacements underway at their homes or for residents who would feel more comfortable using a filter until their confidence in the water quality can be reestablished.

State taxpayers have provided more than $350 million to Flint, in addition to the $100 million from the federal government. The funding is helping with water quality improvements, pipe replacement, healthcare, nutritional food distribution, educational resources, job training and creation, and more.

Testing results can be found by visiting www.michigan.gov/flintwater.

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