Flint Water Improving While Challenges Remain

Flint’s water supply is clearing up after a year of water contamination challenges, but regulatory and legal difficulties remain.

“Department of Public Works Director Howard Croft said that tests [in May] showed the level of total trihalomethanes (TTHM) remained within federal guidelines at each of the city's eight testing sites,” Michigan Live reported.

“But the annual average of TTHM at one of those sites on Flushing Road is still more than 80 parts per billion because of high test results dating back to 2014. The high annual average of TTHM means the city must send another notice to some 30,000 customers, reporting that it remains in violation of the SDWA,” the report said.

Flint water was contaminated by E. coli and high trihalomethane levels after it stopped using Detroit's water supply last year and became responsible for its own treatment processes. Since the switch to Flint River water, "residents started complaining about skin rashes and their hair falling out, likely caused by the chlorine used to kill the E. coli," Michigan Radio reported.

In the aftermath of the contamination crisis, Flint is facing legal challenges aimed at returning the city to Detroit’s water supply and ending the reliance on the Flint River.

“The president of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action says his group and others [filed] a lawsuit Friday, June 5, to force the city of Flint to stop using the Flint River as its drinking water source,” Michigan Live reported.

The city did not respond directly to the suit, but noted improvements in its processes.

"Without addressing the lawsuit specifically, the city administrator would like to remind residents, businesses and visitors of the city that Flint's water operations have been thoroughly reviewed and that improvements have been made to ensure the water's safety and that improvements to quality and communication with the public continue to be made," according to a statement from city spokesman Jason Lorenz, per a Michigan Live article.

For more on contaminated water supplies, visit Water Online’s Source Water Contamination Solutions Center.