Thousands of water lines to be replaced in Flint settlement
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-michigan-water-idUSKBN16Z2OM
Thousands of water lines to be replaced in Flint settlement
The state of Michigan will replace water lines serving at least 18,000 homes in Flint over the next three years under a settlement approved by a U.S. judge to address a 2015 crisis that exposed residents to lead in their drinking water.
The state will pay $87 million to identify and replace the service lines containing lead or galvanized steel by 2020, according to the settlement approved by U.S. District Judge David Lawson in Detroit, court documents said. An additional $10 million is being held in reserve.
The deal marked a major agreement to replace piping that played a significant role in the Flint water crisis that prompted dozens of lawsuits and criminal charges against former government officials.
Lawson found the settlement to be "fair, adequate, reasonable, consistent with the public interest," according to online court documents, adding that it furthered the objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act which protects drinking water supplies throughout the nation.