Water distribution sites across Flint will begin closing after the latest water tests show lead levels will below the federal action level.
The decision was announced at a press conference Wednesday (7-26).
Local officials say they are leery about the decision, especially since it was made by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and based on testing by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Monica Galloway is a Flint City Councilwoman. She said it’s difficult trusting the same organizations that were involved in the creating the crisis.
“It’s very difficult to believe the same entities that placed you in a situation that has negatively impacted your life and your families life and has even included, for some, death, now gets to tell you things are better.”
Tiffany Brown is a spokesperson for the MDEQ. She said she understands trust has been broken in Flint, which is why state and federal health officials took more than six times the number of necessary water samples for testing.
“I understand that trust was broken but we’re working hard every day to try to regain that trust and that’s why we’re going above and beyond in the testing that’s happening.”
The Lead and Copper Rule requires lead levels to be below fifteen parts per billion.
The latest water tests show seven parts per billion in 94 percent of water samples.
Brown said of the city's nine points of distribution, or pods, four will remain open indefinitely.
“We understand that trust has been broken, we recognize that and we’re sensitive to the community and the feedback that we received from the community. We worked with the city of Flint and community partners and that’s the reason we’re able to keep these four pods open.”
The first pod closures will begin on August 11th.