Written by Tanya Terry
On March 19, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it was officially lifting the emergency order placed on the City of Flint under the Safe Drinking Water Act in 2016.
But, not everyone in Flint is celebrating the recent announcement.
“This moment is about the people of Flint—about their voices, their strength, and their determination,” said Mayor Sheldon Neeley. “For nearly a decade, we have worked tirelessly to restore trust and integrity to our water system, as well as meeting rigorous standards. While this milestone marks progress, our commitment to clean, safe drinking water remains unwavering. We will continue to advance infrastructure, strengthen safeguards and ensure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated. Flint families deserve nothing less.”
Councilwoman Tonya Burns, stated that some residents in her Ward and throughout the city are “angry.”
“We don’t have every service line replaced,” said Burns. “They have a reason to be upset. They have to be told the truth. We have people who still state their water smells, or it’s discolored or there’s sediments in their toilets. I had a person who sent me a photo of their water and ask me: ‘What is this?” I said ‘I don’t know, but let me get you this number – because you have children in your home. It looked like it was mold, and it was in the little filter thing that came out of their faucet.”
Burns stated that she felt some people in government who should be speaking up for the residents of Flint have kept quiet for far too long. Burns called for a “real town hall,” which people who could answer the questions Flint residents have would attend.
A FOIA request was filed with the EPA to receive the information about which residents were not able to be reached about lead line replacement.
Burns also said she was one of the council members willing to knock on the doors to get the information and still is.
The council voted to approve the ACL Administrative Consent Order September 23, 2024. Through it, The City of Flint and EGLE tentatively agreed to resolve violations alleged by EGLE.
Burns said because of the Administrative Consent Order being approved: “The EPA thinks ‘hey, they’re OK with Flint. So, if the five council members-a majority vote of the City that’s represented-believe that the water is OK…what are they standing around for.”
Since 2016, Flint has implemented a corrosion control plan to minimize lead release in water, remained below federal lead action levels for eight consecutive years. According to the City of Flint, over 97% of lead service lines have also been replaced. In addition, the City hasexpanded its team of certified water operators, modernized water system operations and constructed a backup water line to enhance long-term reliability.
The City of Flint pointed out that since EPA emergency order was first issued in January 2016 in response to the Flint water crisis. In the years since:
- EPA invested more than $100 million through the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act to help Flint upgrade its water system.
- Flint conducted a corrosion control study and successfully implemented optimal treatment techniques.
- A new backup pipeline was constructed to ensure continuity of service during emergencies or maintenance.
- Flint strengthened staffing, training and standard operating procedures, resulting in 13 fully-certified drinking water operators.
Mayor Neeley concluded his statement about the EPA lifting the emergency order by saying, “The road to this day has been long and hard-fought—but Flint stood strong. We thank every resident, worker, and partner who helped us get here. This is a milestone for Flint, but not the end. Our eyes remain on the future—on healing, growth, and protecting our people.”
Burns stated: “We’ve got some problems. I want people to not stop speaking up. Your government is elected to work for all, whether you voted for them or not, and it’s a responsibility we have to hear your voice and to act on what the people want. I hear the residents saying my water smells. I hear the residents saying the water isn’t clear. I’ve seen pictures of the faucets where the water is coming out and it’s yellow or light brown….So, I don’t want people to give up. It’s 11 years into the Water Crisis and we were just told weeks ago that it’s a celebration that almost all the lines are complete. You celebrate at 100%. Nothing less.”
