Water in Flint, Mich., has fallen below federal lead limit, officials say
The Flint Water Plant tower, shown on Feb. 5, has become a symbol of the Michigan city’s woes.
Michigan environmental officials say Flint’s water system no longer has levels of lead exceeding the federal limit.
The finding by the Department of Environmental Quality is good news for a city whose 100,000 residents have grappled with the man-made water crisis since 2014.
Officials told the Associated Press ahead of an official announcement Tuesday that the 90th percentile of lead concentrations in Flint was 12 parts per billion from July through December — below the “action level” of 15 ppb. It was 20 ppb in the prior six-month period.
State officials say Flint’s lead levels are now comparable to other U.S. cities, but that residents must still use filters because the ongoing replacement of pipes could spike lead levels in some homes.
Flint’s emergency began when officials failed to properly treat lead lines for corrosion.
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