State regulators say the city of Flint is starting its tenth year of testing within acceptable levels of lead in its drinking water.
Testing during the final six months of 2025 showed Flint’s tap water at the 90th percentile calculation of 6 parts per billion (ppb) for lead.
The number is well within state (12 ppb) and federal (15 ppb) action levels for lead in drinking water. The number is up from 3 ppb in the first half of 2025. Regulators attribute the increase to the testing of businesses with low water usage and older plumbing that can sometimes lead to higher lead results during a sampling period.
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy says the city is entering its tenth year of compliance since levels spiked during Flint’s water crisis.
In 2014, under the direction of an emergency financial manager, Flint’s drinking water source was switched to the Flint River. But improperly treated river water damaged aging pipes, releasing lead into the city’s tap water.
Lead levels in tap water spiked. Levels did not decline significantly until Flint resumed getting drinking water from Detroit’s water system.
Since the crisis, significant improvements have been made to the city’s infrastructure.
While the numbers are in compliance, health experts say no level of lead in drinking water is safe.
