lead pipes

Of just over $11 million in recently announced grants, the small city within Detroit's borders is getting a little more than $10 million from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund. It will go toward replacing water mains and lead service lines.

We're finally digging up the lead pipes, but 145 years ago this week, Michigan State Professor Robert Kedzie warned the Michigan Board of Health about the dangers of lead poisoning from consumer products.

On April 25, 2014, Flint's drinking water source was switched to the Flint River. The intent of the switch was to save the city millions of dollars. The result was an environmental disaster.

"The city has mismanaged this program and has missed its deadlines,” said NRDC attorney Addie Rolnick.

Michigan is failing to enforce safe drinking water at school, a new report finds.

Since 2016, the city has inspected more than 27,000 service lines have been inspected and more than 10,000 have been replaced. But more work is needed to be done.

Today we discussed an investigation into the recent spike in juvenile shootings in Detroit. We also heard about Benton Harbor's success replacing lead water pipes. Plus, a conversation with an Oxford High School parent who's running for office.

Under a 2017 legal settlement, the city agreed to completely replace all lead and galvanized service lines. The city received several extensions to get the work done. But as of Friday’s the deadline, city officials estimate only about 95% have been replaced.

More than 10,000 lead service lines have been replaced since 2016.

People in Benton Harbor have been warned to consume only bottled water for two months now. EPA says answers about certified lead water filters won’t be available for maybe two more months.