FLINT, Mich. – Flint Mayor Karen Weaver has drafted a letter to Governor Rick Snyder asking him not to close the bottled water distribution sites within the city.
The continued operation of the sites, known locally as PODS, has been in question after MDEQ testing has shown water within the city meets all safety standards.
Mayor Weaver says in her letter dated April 6 that despite testing, there is ‘great anxiety’ from residents about the possible closing of the PODS.
While the mayor states in her letter she herself is not aware of when the sites will close, she urges the governor to keep them open until a detailed explanation of testing results along with how they were collected can be shared with the public.
Weaver further states her position that free bottled water should be made available to residents until all lead pipes in the city have been replaced.
According to the city, there are over 12,000 remaining homes in the city with lead or galvanized pipes.
The city’s goal is to replace 6,000 those homes’ pipes by 2019.
Each of the city’s PODS distribute free water filters and replacement cartridges to residents in addition to free bottled water.
Filters and cartridges will be available to the public until December 2018.
It is unclear when the state plans to close the four remaining PODS.