Flint, Michigan – City leaders in Flint want to make homes safer by proposing a big increase to their current In-Home Plumbing Program. A plan is on the table to move $510,000 from the city’s share of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds this project. The goal is to further reduce the risks of lead exposure for residents.
The Flint City Council is yet to decide on the idea, which would give money to assist fix up the plumbing in the inside of as many as 100 homes. The planned improvements include replacing water lines, faucets, and other fixtures, especially in homes where tests have shown high levels of lead in the past.
Seamus Bannon, Flint’s Chief Strategy Officer, emphasized the program’s focus on addressing the problem right at its origin.
“This proposal is about protecting families at the source,” said Seamus Bannon. “We’re committed to building safer, healthier homes across Flint.”
The campaign for financing is meant to build on ongoing work to fix Flint’s water infrastructure, which has been in the news since the city’s lead-in-water disaster. The city has already made work on upgrading service lines that go to homes, but many older homes still have problems with their plumbing, where old pipes and fixtures can still be dangerous.
If accepted, the extra money would let the city help even more families, which would immediately improve public health and help make sure that clean, safe water comes out of every tap.
The plan shows Flint’s larger commitment to both short-term adjustments and long-term improvements to the infrastructure, with the objective of making homes safer for families for a long time to come.