EPA has officially lifted its 2016 order declaring a drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan, the agency said Monday.
Once contaminated with dangerous levels of toxic lead, the drinking water in the city of Flint is now in compliance with federal standards, EPA said. The city has replaced more than 97 percent of the lead pipes that carry water to people’s homes and completed all requirements stipulated by the agency.
“Lifting this emergency order is a cause for great celebration for residents of Flint who worked so hard and sacrificed so much to get to this point,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said.
The announcement marks a milestone in a yearslong battle that put a national spotlight on lead water pipes, which can leach the neurotoxin into tap water in homes, businesses and schools. Some 9 million lead pipes remain in service across the nation.
