Flint Completes Required Lead Pipe Replacements

On Tuesday, Michigan completed replacing nearly 11,000 lead service lines across the City of Flint. The accomplishment comes more than decade after the lead crisis began, and five years later than originally planned. 

“While this milestone is not all the justice our community deserves, it is a huge achievement,” the Rev. Allen C. Overton of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action said in a statement. 

Contamination began in 2014 when Flint’s water supply was switched to a cheaper source: the Flint River, previously deemed unsafe for consumption by the state’s environmental department. The river’s highly corrosive water was piped to homes without any added anti-corrosion safety measures. Soon, residents began reporting cloudy, smelly water, and experiencing rashes, vomiting and hair loss. 

Flint residents, along with nonprofits, sued the city and won a settlement in 2017 that required free lead pipe replacements for all residents. Over the course of the past decade, the city inspected more than 28,000 homes for lead service lines—the pipes that bring water to people’s homes from larger water mains. 

“We’ve made remarkable progress, replacing the vast majority of lead service lines and ensuring Flint’s water meets stringent safety standards,” said a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). 

While most lead pipes have been replaced, some still remain. That’s because the 2017 settlement didn’t include vacant homes and allowed homeowners to refuse replacement. 

“Working with the city to ensure the complete removal of all lead service lines later this year remains our top priority,” the EGLE spokesperson said. 

What Are Current Lead Levels?  

Flint’s water system has met state and federal standards for lead in drinking water since July 2016, according to state data. Most recently, from July 2024 through December 2024, lead levels were at three parts per billion (ppb). While the science is clear that no level of lead exposure is safe, federal law requires water systems to take action if more than 10 percent of tap water samples exceed 15 ppb. 

This year, Michigan adopted stricter standards, now requiring the state to take action for lead levels at 12 ppb and requiring blood lead testing for all children ages one and two. 

Scientists are still studying the lasting health effects of lead exposure in Flint, but reports have shown elevated blood lead levels in children. Exposure to lead can cause irreversible damage to the brain, kidneys and nervous system and has also been linked to heart disease. 

At the peak of contamination in Flint, researchers from Virginia Tech found that more than a quarter of homes exceeded the federal “safe” standard. Several homes recorded levels at 100 ppb, and one home came in at 1,000 ppb. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency still advises Flint residents to filter all water. Anyone with health conditions should limit their use of tap water, according to the EPA website. 

Flint residents can see where there are known lead pipes throughout the city on a searchable map from the University of Michigan. 

Still a National Problem 

Across the U.S., there are more than 9 million lead service lines still in use across all 50 states. States with the highest concentrations of lead pipes include Illinois, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Florida, according to EPA data released in 2024. 

“Water systems around the country shouldn’t be waiting until there’s a crisis to remove their lead lines,” said Addie Rolnick, an attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “They should be removing them now.” 

Until recently, there has been little federal action on that front. In 2024, the Biden administration mandated that all drinking water systems identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years, under the Lead and Copper Rule Improvements, and dedicated $15 billion to funding lead pipe replacement projects across the country. 

“The whole conversation about lead and drinking water is so different now than it was when the Flint water crisis began,” Rolnick said. “There’s really been recognition at the national level that these lines need to get out everywhere.” 

But the current EPA under President Trump has been unclear on whether it will uphold the lead pipe replacement rule. The American Water Works Association, a lobbyist for utilities, challenged the rule in December 2024. In response, the Trump administration has asked the courts to pause litigation, delaying a decision. 

In March, the Trump administration delayed $50 million in funds for lead service line replacements in Massachusetts. Proposed federal budget cuts for EPA would take away nearly all funds from a program that states rely on for water pipe replacements. 

“We’re looking for the current administration to keep a strong Lead and Copper Rule in place and make sure it’s implemented and that these lead lines come out,” Rolnick said, “so that no other community has to go through what Flint has.”