


The Environmental Protection Agency has lifted its near-decade-old emergency order on Flint, Michigan, over its lead-contaminated water system, saying the city is in compliance with federal water standards.
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced Monday that the agency would be terminating its 2016 emergency order, as the city has completed all requirements.
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“Today we celebrate nearly a decade’s worth of hard work and partnership at the local, state, and federal level to ensure the residents of Flint, Michigan, have access to clean, safe drinking water,” Zeldin said.
“Lifting this emergency order is a cause for great celebration for residents of Flint who worked so hard and sacrifice so much to get to this point,” he said. “Even though the emergency order is lifted, all levels of government must continue to stay in contact and work closely to be a continued resource for the Flint community and ensure their water remains pristine.”
Recent water sampling showed Flint’s water system was in compliance with lead standards, more than 10 years after the water first became contaminated, according to a press release from the EPA.
The water crisis can be traced back to an April 2014 decision by a state emergency manager appointed by then-Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder. At the time, the manager signed off on a symbolic vote from the Flint City Council to change the city’s source of water in order to cut costs.
Instead of tapping water from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, the city moved to take water from the Flint River until a new pipeline could be built to connect Flint to Lake Huron.
The water from the Flint River was found to be extremely polluted and acidic, corroding the lead pipes that transported it to the city and leaking lead into drinking water throughout the city.
The contaminated water continued to flow into Flint until city officials cut off the source in October 2015. The state and federal governments declared a state of emergency in 2016, and residents were left unable to drink or use the water coming from their taps for months.
An outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease quickly followed the water crisis, leaving dozens sick and at least 12 people dead.
In the years that followed, the city took dramatic efforts to upgrade its water system, including replacing 97% of legacy lead pipes, also known as lead service lines, that carry water to residents.
With the emergency order terminated, Flint will still be obligated to comply with the requirements of the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Act, which will be primarily overseen by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
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“The lifting of the EPA’s emergency order is a powerful testament to the strength, and advocacy of Flint residents,” Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said in a statement.
“For nearly a decade, we have worked tirelessly to restore trust and integrity to our water system, as well as meeting rigorous standards,” Neeley said. “While this milestone marks progress, our commitment to clean, safe drinking water remains unwavering. We will continue to advance infrastructure, strengthen safeguards, and ensure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated. Flint families deserve nothing less.”