FLINT - A decade after lead contaminated water was found in Flint, Michigan’s water system, the legal battle to replace lead water pipes is finished, a landmark milestone for a city defined by its dangerous water. Today the State of Michigan submitted a progress report to a federal court confirming that, more than eight years after a court-ordered settlement required Flint officials to replace pipes and restore property damaged in the process, nearly 11,000 lead pipes were replaced and more than 28,000 properties were restored. There is no safe level of lead exposure.
“Thanks to the persistence of the people of Flint and our partners, we are finally at the end of the lead pipe replacement project. While this milestone is not all the justice our community deserves, it is a huge achievement,” said Pastor Allen C. Overton of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action. “We would not have reached this day without the work of so many Flint residents who worked to hold our leaders accountable. I have never been prouder to be a member of the Flint community.”
“Flint residents never gave up fighting for safe drinking water in the face of government indifference, mistruths, and incompetence. I’ve been angry that officials poisoned the drinking water in my home and community. But I will always be proud that Flint inspired a federal rule requiring that every lead pipe in the country be replaced in the next decade. Flint changed America, for the better,” said Melissa Mays of Water You Fighting For.
“In these challenging times for our country—marked by chaos and pain for so many—the story of Flint is a shining beacon of hope,” said Manish Bapna, President of NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). “It is a reminder of the power that we the people of this country hold. It’s a reminder of why preserving American democracy is so essential. It’s a reminder of what’s possible if we stand up to powerful forces and refuse to back down.”
“This day would not have come without the heroic efforts of the people in Flint who have fought valiantly for more than ten years to ensure the city fulfilled its duty to replace these dangerous lead pipes,” said Bonsitu Kitaba, interim legal director for the ACLU of Michigan. “Residents of Flint deserve – and have always deserved – access to clean, safe drinking water and property repairs, full stop. While we know that this is not a resolution for all the harms caused to the people of Flint from the water crisis, we celebrate this long-awaited win alongside you. We are committed to our partnership and the work ahead.”
Background
The Flint water crisis began in 2014, after cost-cutting measures and improper water treatment resulted in lead-contaminated drinking water leaching out from aging pipes into homes citywide.
Health experts agree there is no safe level of exposure to lead. In addition to long-known risks, such as damage to children’s brains and certain cancers, the American Heart Association issued a formal Scientific Statement emphasizing there is significant evidence that exposure to lead is linked to numerous cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and heart attack. The risk of heart disease is especially high in populations of color and low socioeconomic means.
Outraged by the failure of city, state, and federal agencies to stop the public health emergency of widespread lead contamination, Flint residents and nonprofits sued Flint and Michigan state officials to secure safe water. The result was a landmark settlement in March 2017, under which a federal court in Detroit ordered Flint to give every resident the opportunity to have their lead pipe replaced at no cost, as well as conduct comprehensive tap water testing, implement a faucet filter distribution and education program, and maintain funding for health programs to help residents deal with the effects of Flint’s tainted water.
Since 2017, plaintiffs Melissa Mays, Flint-based Concerned Pastors for Social Action, ACLU of Michigan and the NRDC have remained vigilant to hold the city to account for its slow progress in replacing lead pipes and restoring damage done to lawns, sidewalks, and driveways in the process. The group returned to court six times in six years to ensure the city properly managed its lead pipe replacement program and that every eligible resident received the benefits guaranteed to them by the court-ordered settlement in the Safe Drinking Water Act lawsuit.
The Flint water crisis changed the conversation about environmental justice in communities across the country and drew attention to lead issues across the U.S. It was also a reminder that everyone needs safe drinking water, no matter their race, income or zip code—but not everyone has access to it. The story of Flint has inspired action in the states, Congress, and even the White House to replace dangerous lead pipes so that no other community would face a crisis like Flint residents faced. Congress allocated $15 billion to help cities and states identify and replace lead water pipes. Last year, President Biden’s EPA issued a new federal rule requiring every lead pipe to be replaced in the next ten years. The Trump Administration has not yet agreed to honor the commitment to replace every lead pipe, but a decision is due later this summer. And so, the work continues.
Background on the lawsuit Concerned Pastors for Social Action v. Khouri: https://www.nrdc.org/court-battles/concerned-pastors-social-action-v-khouri