Ex-Benton Harbor Water Manager Must Face Suit Over Lead Levels

Benton Harbor, Mich. residents can sue the city’s ex-water plant operator over claims he covered up a water crisis in the city caused by corroding lead pipes, the Sixth Circuit ruled Wednesday.

The residents sufficiently alleged Mike O’Malley “violated their right to bodily integrity” by issuing knowingly false statements about the safety of the water and steps citizens should take to address those concerns, the Sixth Circuit said.

Benton Harbor residents sued the city and several city and state officials in 2021 for allegedly failing to properly address elevated lead levels discovered in water pipes. The residents asserted they ...