Flint, Michigan, has been in the throes of a water crisis since 2014. Between ineffective bureaucracy, corrupt politicians, outbreaks of infectious shigellosis, and toxic lead levels in the water supply, Flint has been a political battleground for far too long. However, it looks like some change will slowly begin to take effect. NBC News reports that the state of Michigan has agreed to pay $87 million to replace 18,000 corroded water lines in Flint by January 1, 2020.
BREAKING: Court agreement reached to replace 18,000 water lines in lead-contaminated Flint by 2020.
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 27, 2017
This agreement is set to be made official before a court on Tuesday, finally giving some hope to the people who have dealt with so much during this horrible ordeal. The 2020 deadline is definitely longer than many would have hoped, but at the very least concrete promises for improvement have been made. The state has also set aside a $10 million dollar buffer for “unexpected expenses,” putting the amount nearly equal to the $100 million set aside by the EPA following former President Obama’s legislation in December.
The issues in Flint began when the town switched from the Detroit water system to the Flint River. In an attempt to cut costs, cheap pipes were installed, eventually corroding to such a degree that the water was rendered undrinkable due to toxic lead levels.
The process so far has been unbearably slow, so here’s hoping this is the first of many steps to clean water for the residents of Flint.
(Via NBC News)