© 2024 MICHIGAN PUBLIC
91.7 Ann Arbor/Detroit 104.1 Grand Rapids 91.3 Port Huron 89.7 Lansing 91.1 Flint
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Flint flushing campaign moves forward, but are enough people running their faucets?

a sink
Steve Carmody
/
Michigan Radio

The effort to get Flint residents to flush their pipes daily moves into its second week this weekend.

But it’s not known if people are doing it.

“Run your water for five minutes a day. In the kitchen. In the bathroom,” Nicole Lurie told reporters at a news conference this week.  Lurie leads the federal response to Flint’s water crisis.

She says running the water will help flush lead particles out and allow chemicals to get in that will heal the damaged pipes.   

The campaign to get Flint water customers to run their water every day started last Sunday.  

But it’s unclear how many Flint residents are flushing their pipes.

Officials may have to wait until the completion of Flint’s next water billing cycle to end. Which means real data on who flushed and how much would not be known until next month.

Officials have said the more people who participate, the faster the recovery process will be. 

The state is picking up the tab for the added water going down the drain.  

With concerns about their tap water running high, Flint residents only use a fraction of the usual amount of tap water. Despite assurances from government officials, including President Obama this week, that filtered Flint tap water is safe to drink and bathe in, many Flint residents will only use bottled water. 

Steve Carmody has been a reporter for Michigan Public since 2005. Steve previously worked at public radio and television stations in Florida, Oklahoma and Kentucky, and also has extensive experience in commercial broadcasting.
Related Content