Michigan’s Lead in Drinking Water Protections Under Attack

In the wake of the Flint Water Crisis, the State of Michigan put forth the nation’s most protective lead in drinking water safeguards in the form of its landmark Lead and Copper Rule. Michigan is now leading the way in removing the lead coming from pipes connecting homes to water mains in the street. During 2017-2018, NRDC spent months in stakeholder negotiations with the water utilities and their representatives, public health advocates, and others to craft a rule that gets the lead pipes out of the water system as quickly and safely as possible.

So, it is quite surprising that the Lead and Copper Rule is being challenged in court by Michigan water providers.

Think about that: our lead in drinking water protections are being challenged by water system leaders who have seen the horrors of poisoned water in Flint and who know of ongoing lead releases in water systems throughout the state.

Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan through the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, Mayor Dennis Wright through the City of Livonia, and the southeast Michigan regional body known as the Great Lakes Water Authority have banded together to try to overturn the new rule in court.

Although NRDC didn’t secure everything we were looking for in the updated Lead and Copper Rule, we strongly supported the new rule. That is why we filed a friend of the court brief challenging key points being put forth in the lawsuit. The full brief is available here […]

Full article: Michigan’s Lead in Drinking Water Protections Under Attack

More about Flint, Michigan, lead, and public health:

Study: Flint’s lead-poisoned water had ‘horrifyingly large’ effect on fetal deaths

Michael Moore’s Flint water movie claims county faked kids’ lead blood tests

Flint officials agree to new rules in replacing lead water lines

Flint Water Crisis Deaths Likely Surpass Official Toll

Watchdog says lack of EPA oversight helped cause ‘catastrophic’ Flint water crisis