10 Years After Being Poisoned, Flint Residents See Major Win in Lead Pipe Fight

Over a decade after the water crisis in Flint, Michigan drew national attention, state officials report that over 11,000 lead pipes have been replaced and more than 28,000 affected properties restored. The milestone, submitted in a court filing on Tuesday, marks substantial progress since a 2017 lawsuit forced the state to act. Allen C. Overton of Concerned Pastors for Social Action, a plaintiff in the lawsuit, emphasized the importance of community activism: "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."

The crisis began in 2014 when Flint temporarily sourced its water from the Flint River after cutting ties with Detroit's water system to save money. Residents quickly reported discolored, foul-smelling water. Despite positive tests for contaminants such as trihalomethanes, E. coli, and lead, city officials initially maintained that the water was safe to drink. It wasn't until October 2015 that Flint resumed using Detroit's water, by then exposing nearly 100,000 residents—many of them Black and low-income—to toxic levels of lead, according to the CDC.

Although criminal charges were filed in relation to several deaths linked to the contamination, those charges were ultimately dropped. A $626 million settlement reached in 2021 mandated free lead pipe replacements, which advocacy groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council helped enforce. According to the NRDC, approximately 4,000 homes still have lead pipes—mostly those that are vacant or where residents declined replacement.

Michigan's Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy pledged to finish the job soon. "Through the dedicated efforts of the state and its strong partnership with the city, we've made remarkable progress," said spokesperson Scott Dean. "Working with the city to ensure the complete removal of all lead service lines later this year remains our top priority."

Overton concluded: "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."

Link: NBCNews