Page 13 - HOSPITAAL

A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 5 december 2018

8PM

Flint officials say milestone reached in lead line work

By JEFF KAROUB have lead and galvanized
Associated Press steel pipes. It adds thou-
DETROIT (AP) — Flint officials sands of the excavated
said Tuesday they are a pipes have been copper.
year ahead of schedule in A landmark legal settle-
tackling a court-mandated ment reached early last
order to deal with lead ser- year calls for fully removing
vice lines as the Michigan the lead pipes by the end
city recovers from its con- of next year.
taminated water crisis, but "The city has announced it
an environmental group has dug 18,000 holes in the
that sued to make chang- city of Flint, but it has not
es disputes the accom- replaced all the lead and
plishment. galvanized pipes," NRDC
The city said it's checked attorney Sarah Tallman told
more than 18,000 service The Associated Press. "The
lines, and replaced 7,700. city is in violation of the ...
Mayor Karen Weaver said settlement."
at a news conference The environmental group
there are between 10,000 and others who sued have
and 12,000 more to check previously accused Flint of
and officials have dealt ignoring requirements that
with those deemed the allow monitoring of wheth-
highest priority. er the court-ordered deal is
Weaver said "this is a huge being followed.
step toward" Flint's efforts to Flint ran into extraordinary
move "from crisis to recov- trouble when emergency
ery," though she cautioned managers appointed by
residents to keep drinking Gov. Rick Snyder put the
bottled or filtered water city on water from the Flint
until all construction work is River in 2014 while a pipe-
done and tests have been line was being built to Lake
completed. Huron. The corrosive water
"Getting the poison out — was not properly treated
that was my first priority," due to an incorrect reading
Weaver said. of federal regulations by
The Natural Resources De- state regulators, and lead
fense Council, which is part leached from old plumb-
of a lawsuit over the lead is- In this Jan. 3, 2018 file photo, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver speaks during a press conference in Flint, ing into homes and led to
sue, says the city hasn't pri- Mich. elevated levels of the toxin
oritized homes most likely to Associated Press in children.q