Flint Mayor Karen Weaver wants the lead pipes removed that bring water into the homes of residents in her city.
Weaver announced a plan she called "Fast Start" to remove and replace the lead service lines as quickly as possible. A preliminary estimate of $55 million would be required to complete the job.
"In order for Flint residents to once again have confidence and trust in the water coming from their faucets, all lead pipes in the city of Flint need to be replaced," Weaver said during a morning press conference in the front lobby of City Hall.
Weaver called on the state and federal government for full cooperation and funding for the public works project.
Representatives from the Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) met with the city's public works staff on Monday to move the planning for the project forward, according to Weaver.
The BWL has removed 13,500 lead pipes in Lansing over the last twelve years at a cost of $42 million. It is projected that dozens of work crews could remove up to 15,000 lead pipes in Flint in one year under optimal conditions.
Retired Brigadier General Michael C.H. McDaniel was appointed by Weaver last week to head the Flint Action and Sustainability Team (FAST). The group will coordinate the work between various state and federal departments and agencies.
McDaniel said he hopes that within a week's time the initial target of 100 homes will be identified and the work can begin.
"We want to take those high risk households and we want to replace those lines immediately and when we say replace those lines, we mean the entire line from the main to the meter," McDaniel said.
Governor Rick Snyder is expected to propose an additional $195 million for Flint in his budget recommendation to the legislature on Wednesday.
"Mayor Weaver is an important partner as we work to address the crisis in Flint," said spokesman Dave Murray in a statement to 7 Action News.
The remainder of the statement follows:
We are reviewing her proposal. Experts say that the best plan is to first coat the pipes with phosphates to inhibit corrosion, then conduct a study to determine which pipes need to be replaced. We're working with staff from the city, University of Michigan-Flint and FEMA to study old maps and handwritten city records to create digital maps to determine the location of pipes, and then compare with water testing results to target priority areas and best protect Flint residents."
- Dave Murray, Governor Snyder's Press Secretary
Weaver said residents can't wait.
"We deserve new pipes," Weaver said. "That's the only way this community is going to be confident and people will stay here and people will come. We have to get new pipes and I cannot imagine he would not support this plan. If he doesn't, shame on him," she said.
Flint residents 7 Action News spoke with Tuesday agreed with Weaver's approach.
"I have two boys, I think they deserve it," said Brandon Conway. "I shouldn't have to pick up and move. I paid for this, I've worked here, I've done the same thing as everyone else, why do we deserve a worse shot than everyone else?"
The city plans to begin the project as soon as possible but needs the appropriation of necessary funds to complete the project.
"I think this is a step in the right direction to make sure that things around here get back to some sort of sense of normalcy," said Dartanyan Jamerson, a life-long resident of Flint.
