 said earlier this week that it is officially lifting the emergency order it put on the city's water system){kind=link}
Flint, Michigan – The City of Flint has reached a turning point in its fight for safe water after almost ten years of hard work. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said earlier this week that it is officially lifting the emergency order it put on the city’s water system in 2016. This decision means that Flint’s drinking water officially meets all federal lead requirements. This is a big step forward in the city’s rehabilitation from one of the worst water disasters in the country.
The EPA’s emergency order, which was made under the Safe Drinking Water Act, called for plenty of action once it was found that lead had spread widely. Over the years, municipal and state officials, together with federal partners, worked on a long list of repairs, including as putting in corrosion control systems, replacing old lead service lines on a regular basis, and changing how things are done. The city also hired more certified water operators and built a backup pipeline for extra safety.
Sheldon Neeley, the mayor of Flint, said that lifting the injunction was a win for the community because it showed years of hard work and a strong commitment to rebuilding trust in the government.
“This moment is about the people of Flint—about their voices, their strength, and their determination,” said Mayor Sheldon Neeley. “For nearly a decade, we have worked tirelessly to restore trust and integrity to our water system, as well as meeting rigorous standards. 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.”
EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin praised the city’s progress, emphasizing that the results stemmed from cooperation between local, state, and federal agencies.
“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 have access to clean, safe drinking water. Even though the emergency order is lifted, our shared responsibility to Flint continues. EPA will remain a committed partner in supporting Flint’s water system long into the future,” Zeldin said.
Anne Vogel, the EPA Region 5 Administrator, said the same thing, praising Flint’s strength and commitment for getting the city’s water system up to code. Vogel says that Flint residents can now trust the quality of their water supply. This is backed up by the fact that the city has been below federal lead action levels for eight years and replaced more than 97% of its lead service lines.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is now in charge of overseeing things again because the emergency order has been lifted. State officials will keep a tight eye on Flint’s water system and continuing working with the city to keep it up to standards and make sure it works well for a long time.
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It wasn’t easy to get to this day. Flint has been rebuilding and fixing things for years, and the EPA has given the city more than $100 million through the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act. The city has made its operations more contemporary, improved staff training, and signed a consent agreement with the state to make sure it follows the rules for a long time.
“The road to this day has been long and hard-fought—but Flint stood strong. We thank every resident, worker, and partner who helped us get here. This is a milestone for Flint, but not the end. Our eyes remain on the future—on healing, growth, and protecting our people,” Flint’s mayor, Sheldon Neeley added.