Flint's water crisis became national news last year, but city officials want you to know it's still not fixed yet.
This week, Congressman Dan Kildee introduced new legislation to improve lead standards in drinking water, and the Flint city council approved Mayor Karen Weaver's renewal of emergency status for Flint.
Weaver says city residents still don't have safe tap water.
“In case somebody doesn't know, unfortunately the fact of the matter is that we still cannot drink our water without a filter,” Weaver says. "And that’s a huge issue.”
The state is working with the city to get bottled water delivered directly to residents' homes, but Weaver says she hopes that state and federal government can do more to get clean tap water for Flint.
Weaver also says the city shouldn't have to pay to fix an issue they didn't create.
“We expected funding and resources from the state and federal government because we knew Flint doesn’t have the resources,” she says. "And nor should it have to fund all of the resources when they had a hand in creating this problem.”
Well, you know it's our federal tax dollars, so if we need help, I guess they should be helping us. - Flint Councilwoman Kate Fields
Kate Fields is on the Flint City Council, and she agrees that the city deserves more help from the federal government.
“Well, you know it's our federal tax dollars, so if we need help, I guess they should be helping us,” Fields says.
Lead pipes will continue to be replaced with copper ones throughout the next several months.
The state received $28 million for a program to expand lead abatement this week.
Not just the residents of Flint, but all people deserve to have clean water. - Flint Mayor Karen Weaver
“We’ve been looking at lead as a public health issue for years, ever since we found there was lead in some paint,” Weaver says. “So that’s something that our public health officials have been talking about for a long, long time.”
In a statement released by the Governor’s office, Rick Snyder says he’s glad to see effective governing taking place in regards to the water crisis.
From Gov. Snyder's statement:
“This is great news and another example of how all levels of government working together can help improve the lives of all Michiganders through resources dedicated to protecting public health,” Snyder says.
As 2016 draws to a close, Flint officials want to remind state and federal officials that water is a necessity.
“Not just the residents of Flint, but all people deserve to have clean water," Weaver says.
