Today people lined up in the rain to get water filters in Flint.
The state is handing out 20,000 Brita filters to people at risk for high lead in their tap water. Over the weekend, the Genesee County Health Department and United Way gave away 4,000 PUR filters.
“Our goal is to make sure that every single resident in the city of Flint, who needs a water filter gets one,” says Sheryl Thompson, with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Flint has roughly 30,000 water customers, though not all report having problems with their drinking water.
“These adapters are going to allow you to fit the filter to your faucet,” a Home Depot employee walked person after person through the procedure to install the Brita filters.
The line for filters snaked out the door of the GCCARD center on Lippincott on Flint’s southside.
Connie DeLong picked up a filter. She takes care of her elderly mother. She’s had to rely on bottled water for months, which has been very expensive.
Holding her new water filter, DeLong admits she’s still worried about the future.
“I just hope they find a solution,” says DeLong, “This isn’t going to be permanent.”
City and state officials are working are discussing various options, including possibly returning the city to Detroit water.
