EPA Lifts Flint, Michigan, Drinking Water Emergency Order (1)

The EPA lifted a nearly decade-old emergency order on Flint, Mich., after water sampling showed the city is meeting federal standards for lead, the agency said Monday in a press release.

Flint has completed all requirements outlined in the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2016 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) emergency order, according to the press release. The city implemented corrosion control drinking water treatments and replaced over 97% of lead pipes that carry water to homes, the agency said.

The announcement comes more than a decade after the Flint water crisis began. Nearly 100,000 city residents were exposed to lead contamination from 2014 to 2015, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The event drew criminal and civil lawsuits and resulted in a $626 million settlement in 2021.

The EPA’s Jan. 21, 2016, emergency order required the city to complete numerous actions to protect public health.

“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,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement. But “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.”

Terminating the emergency order means the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will oversee Flint’s water quality.

“We are committed to ensuring that all Flint residents have safe drinking water now and in the future,” an EGLE spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “Working with the city to ensure the complete removal of all lead service lines remains a top priority.”