Mayor's Office

Mayor Weaver Issues Statement on Head of EPA Stating Flint Water is Safe to Drink   

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FLINT, Mich. — The Head of the EPA, Andrew Wheeler said in a press conference on Monday afternoon that, “The water quality in Flint, Michigan is safe to drink”. Flint Mayor Karen Weaver had this to say in response:

“The statement made by the Head of the EPA in a press conference yesterday is premature if you ask me. My feelings regarding if and when I will declare the water safe for residents to drink have not changed. The medical community and scientific community will both have to be in agreement, after a period of testing over time, that the water is safe to drink before I ever declare it safe.

This feels like another attempt to rush this water crisis into “being fixed” or “being solved”, the reality is that this is a process. Not only is it a process, but it is the first of its kind. The EPA have said themselves that while we have this amount of construction happening, that residents should still be on filtered and bottled water, which has not been provided by the EPA at any point.

If we truly want the residents to have safe and clean water, then perhaps the EPA should join us in our push to also get in-home plumbing and fixtures replaced at no cost to residents. If the concern is truly for clean and safe drinking water then we should address every obstacle to getting there.

Nobody wants to say that Flint water is safe to drink more than myself and the residents of Flint, but, before we say it, we want to be absolutely sure it is true. We are the ones who will have to live with the consequences of any more mistakes. We will not be pushed or rushed into drinking the water, the health and well-being of this community will always be put first under my leadership.”