State closing 5 of 9 bottled water sites, Flint mayor calls it ‘the right direction’.
In a sign that the Flint water crisis is possibly nearer its end than the beginning, the state of Michigan is closing more than half of the bottled water distribution centers Flint residents have relied on since the crisis began.
For more than a year, Flint residents have included a stop at their neighborhood distribution center to pick up a case or two or more of bottled water during their errands.
“We’re headed in the right direction.” Weaver was joined by state officials to announce five of the nine water distribution centers handing out cases of bottled water and filters will close between now and September 5th.
The state is scaling back the bottled water distribution program as testing has shown Flint’s tap water is below the federal action level for lead.
He expects trust will remain an issue for a long time.
He says the alternative could have been the state closing all the centers.
However, there are another 18,000 or more pipes that need to be replaced.
Replacing them is expected to take another two and half years at least.
While old pipes are removed, ripping them out may loosen lead particles that can flow into the city’s water system.