Preparing Flint’s water plant to treat water from a new Lake Huron pipeline will take a few years.
Problems at the water plant helped to create Flint’s current troubles with lead-tainted tap water.
JoLisa McDay, Flint’s interim utilities director, told a town hall meeting Wednesday that it’s about more than buying new equipment.
“The EPA order dictates that the city of Flint must have the technical capacity,” McDay told the crowd at the Northbank Center. “That means we must have certified operators – not just certified but capable, competent and qualified operators in order to operate your water treatment plant.”
The federal government is footing much of the $105 million cost of upgrading Flint’s water plant.
The plant, and a raw water reservoir, will likely not be complete until 2019.
Flint’s water plant will have to undergo a testing period before the EPA will sign off on the city’s ability to properly treat water from the Karegnondi Water Authority pipeline.
