Monday night, the Flint city council signed off on the final phase of the city’s lead pipe replacement project.
The council approved contracts with two companies to inspect four to eight thousand service lines between now and the end of July. The contractors will replace any lead service lines connecting homes to city water mains. The work could begin as early as next week.
Some city council members expressed concern that hiring just two contractors will make it difficult to for the city to finish the job by the end of July.
Flint’s Public Works director admits the July 31st target date is “optimistic.”
Service lines were the primary source of lead in Flint’s drinking water during the city’s water crisis.
Since 2016, crews have inspected more than 20,000 service lines, replacing roughly 8,000 lead and galvanized pipes.
