Flint residents advised to continue using faucet filters

FLINT, Mich. (WNEM) – The city of Flint is recommending Flint residents continue to use faucet filters that are certified to remove lead until the lead service line replacement is completed citywide.

Flint’s water system has met both state and federal standards for lead in drinking water for 12 consecutive monitoring periods since July 2016, and sampling rounds are completed every six months, the city said, adding results continue to show the water quality in the city of Flint is stable.

However, to protect the health of the public, the city of Flint, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy recommend Flint residents continue to use water filters at this time.

The city said sampling has been done for the last six months of 2022, and those test results will be available to the public in a few weeks.

On April 7, 2018, the State of Michigan announced it would discontinue state-funded bottled water for Flint residents, saying it was confident in the safety of filtered tap water, the city said.

BlueTriton Brands, Inc. has discontinued its bottled water donation as of Dec. 31, 2022 after providing 100,000 bottles of water since 2018, the city said.

The Flint Filter Study indicates distributed Brita and Pur point-of-use faucet filters effectively remove lead when installed and maintained properly, the city said.

The Genesee County Medical Society has withdrawn its March 2019 statement about the potential for bacterial contamination of filters, the city said, adding there is no evidence of bacterial growth in a properly maintained filter.

Free water filter units, replacement cartridges, and water testing kits are available for Flint residents at Flint City Hall, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. City of Flint Public Health Navigators can deliver these resources to residents who are unable to pick them up in person. Residents are asked to call 810-410-2020 for a home delivery.

The city of Flint is required to distribute water filters until a year after the service line replacement is complete. The completion date is set for Aug. 1, the city said.

The city said contractors are continuing to replace lead service lines throughout the winter as weather allows. Residents who have not had their water lines checked and replaced can sign up for service here.

The city said medically vulnerable Flint residents should speak with their doctors about potential risk factors of consuming filtered tap water or bottled water for their individual health.

For emergency water services, call 810-766-7202. For sewer emergencies, call 810-766-7079 (sewer). For non-emergency questions or concerns, email water@cityofflint.com.