Rick Snyder announced that the free bottled water program for residents of Flint, Michigan will end when supplies run out, according to CNN.
Michigan Gov.
Rick Snyder announced that the free bottled water program for residents of Flint, Michigan will end when supplies run out, according to CNN.
Four years ago, the city of 100,000 began suffering from high levels of lead in the city’s water, after switching its source from Lake Huron to the nearby Flint River to save money, according to CNN.
“Since Flint’s water is now well within the standards set by the federal government, we will now focus even more of our efforts on continuing with the health, education and economic development assistance needed to help move Flint forward.” Residents experienced side effects including rashes and hair loss from the tainted tap water.
Since a 2016 Environmental Protection Agency Safe Drinking Water Emergency Order, Flint has been operating on a $450 million state and federal aid package that includes free bottled water and pipe replacement.
Providing water bottles to residents costs the state of Michigan $650,000 per month, according to The Hill.
Sites that hand out bottled water will shut down within days.
Though the amount of lead and copper in Flint’s water was found to be 4 parts per billion, several levels below the federal limit of 15 ppb, the decision remains controversial among, according to U.S. News.
A federal judge ordered Flint officials to replace the lead-based pipes of 18,000 homes by 2020, but many residents who have been affected still do trust the tap water’s safety, according to U.S. News.