EPA Lifts 2016 Emergency Order on Drinking Water in Flint, Michigan
WASHINGTON – On Monday, May 19, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the City of Flint, Michigan, has completed all requirements of EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) emergency order and it will now be lifted. Since EPA issued the emergency order in January 2016, the City of Flint and the State of Michigan have worked cooperatively with EPA to address and complete all requirements. Water sampling shows that Flint’s water system is now in compliance with lead standards, a major milestone accomplished through years of cooperative federalism dating back to 2016, culminating in the termination of this emergency order.
“Today we celebrate nearly a decade’s worth of hard work and partnership at the local, state, and federal level to ensure the residents of Flint, Michigan, have access to clean, safe drinking water. Lifting this emergency order is a cause for great celebration for residents of Flint who worked so hard and sacrifice so much to get to this point. Even though the emergency order is lifted, all levels of government must continue to stay in contact and work closely to be a continued resource for the Flint community and ensure their water remains pristine. EPA will remain a partner to provide technical assistance to the city and state as efforts continue to maintain and upgrade water infrastructure systems,” said EPA Administrator Zeldin.
“Lifting the EPA emergency order marks a significant milestone for Flint residents, reaffirming their access to safe, reliable drinking water,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Anne Vogel. “This achievement reflects the dedicated efforts of the City of Flint, the State of Michigan, and the EPA in addressing the lead crisis. With Flint's water system in compliance with lead standards, residents can trust in the quality of their water supply.”
“The lifting of the EPA’s emergency order is a powerful testament to the strength, and advocacy of Flint residents,” said Mayor Sheldon A. Neeley, City of Flint. “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.”
Flint studied and developed a plan to optimize corrosion control treatment in its drinking water system as part of their efforts to address EPA’s 2016 emergency order. As a result of implementing that plan, Flint’s water system has continually tested below action levels for lead since July 2016. Additionally, the city has replaced over 97% of legacy lead pipes carrying water to homes, known as lead service lines.
The end of the order returns the City of Flint to its regular, ongoing obligation to comply with the requirements of the SDWA and its regulations, which are primarily overseen by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). EGLE will maintain compliance, including overseeing implementation of the water system plan to ensure ongoing technical, managerial, and financial capacity necessary to operate and maintain the city’s water system.
One of Administrator Zeldin’s first trips in his current role was to Flint, Michigan, to meet with community members, tour the new water infrastructure, and hear firsthand about Flint’s recovery efforts.
Background
EPA’s involvement has been instrumental in protecting the people of Flint. EPA has awarded more than $100 million in grants to EGLE to fund drinking water infrastructure upgrades in Flint through the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016. EPA also provided direct technical assistance to the system operators to support continued compliance and capacity building in Flint.
In 2024, Flint agreed to an administrative consent order with EGLE to ensure continued compliance with EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule and the Safe Drinking Water Act. EPA has worked closely with the city and state as they complied with the emergency order, which required the city to take numerous actions to protect residents. Those actions included:
- The city and EGLE undertook a corrosion control and comprehensive pipe loop study to determine optimal corrosion control treatment, which was then implemented. Optimal corrosion control treatment ensures lead levels are minimized and comply with the federal lead action level.
- Flint constructed a backup pipeline connecting treated water from the Genesee County Drain Commission to the Flint public water system to serve as a secondary back-up source of water. Having a reliable backup source of water is critical to maintaining services during an emergency and during routine maintenance and repairs.
- Flint increased permanent staffing levels since 2016, developed new and updated existing standard operating procedures, and has 13 state-certified, licensed drinking water operators. Adequate staffing is ensuring safe, efficient and effective operations of the Flint public water system.
For more information, visit Flint | US EPA.