Crews Replace Aging Water Lines in Nearly 1,800 Flint Homes

7/31/2017

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Nearly 1,800 additional homes in Flint have had service lines replaced in the latest phase of an effort to help fix the city’s lead-tainted water crisis.

Mayor Karen Weaver’s office says about 2,700 homes have had aging water lines replaced since March 2016 under the FAST Start initiative. The program’s goal is to replace nearly 20,000 lead-tainted lines in Flint by 2020.

Flint was under state control when it switched from Detroit’s water system to the Flint River in 2014 to save money. The river water was not properly treated to prevent pipe corrosion.

Elevated levels of lead later were found in some children.

The city has since returned to Detroit’s system.