FLINT, Mich. — In a press conference held Tuesday morning, Mayor Karen Weaver announced that 18,313 service lines have been excavated one year ahead of the 2019 goal through her FAST Start Initiative. According to the Concerned Pastors Settlement Agreement, the City was obligated to have a minimum of 6,000 excavations conducted by January 1, 2018, a minimum of 12,000 excavations conducted by January 1, 2019, and a minimum of 18,000 excavations conducted by January 1, 2020.
“I am pleased to announce that as of Monday, December 3, 2018, the City has completed excavations at 18,313 homes to get the poison out of the resident’s pipes in the City. Those excavations identified 7,707 lead or galvanized steel pipes that have been replaced with copper, removing harmful lead service lines at households in Flint”, said Weaver. “Working together with the City’s service line replacement contractors W. T. Stevens, Lang, Waldorf, Goyette Mechanical and Super Construction, we have been able to exceed this goal one year in advance of the terms of the settlement agreement, which demonstrates the City’s, my administration, and my personal commitment to the residents because public health will not wait on a deadline from a Court, or a mandate from the State of Michigan or the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).”
Mayor Weaver went on to state that while the city is ahead of schedule, the replacement work is not complete, despite what some may be reporting. There is still an estimated 10,000-12,000 homes that will be checked to complete Mayor Weaver’s FAST Start Initiative.
“Although this is a major victory, I am determined that with the WIIN funds that have been set aside by the Federal government under President Obama to replace the City’s water infrastructure, the City will forge ahead to excavate and replace the remainder of the City’s household service lines above and beyond this number. I will not stop until all of the poison is out of the City, the water is tap drinkable without a filter, and those that poisoned the water system are fully prosecuted. I know that this crisis will not be wasted and Flint will become a resource for other communities to learn how to respond and deal with a water crisis, so no other community has to experience a water crisis.”
