City of Flint offers open house and tours of upgraded water facilities on 10th anniversary of Flint Water Crisis

Ten years after the water crisis, the City of Flint and Mayor Neeley are committed to ensuring Flint residents have access to clean water. More than $146 million has been invested in removing lead service lines and revitalizing Flint’s water infrastructure.

This Wednesday and Thursday, the City of Flint is opening the public water facilities for tours to allow Flint residents to see some of the upgrades to Flint’s water system firsthand. Mayor Neeley hopes the tours will help foster understanding about the infrastructure upgrades that have been implemented over the past five years.

“We want Flint residents to understand how far Flint’s water infrastructure has come since the early days of the water crisis, as well as the work that still lays ahead,” Mayor Neeley said. “Many elements of our water system are state-of-the-art, and while other elements still need improvement, we are working every day to continue to upgrade our water infrastructure. As we reflect on the 10-year anniversary of the water crisis, I know that we are Flint Strong—and we are strong because of these major investments in our water system, and our commitment to our friends and neighbors that we will not give up this fight.”

Tours will be offered from 2-4 p.m. Wednesday, April 24 and Thursday, April 25. Each tour will take approximately 15 minutes. Due to limited space inside the facilities, each tour time will be limited to 20 people.

Flint Water Plant staff will lead the tour groups and will answer questions about the operation of the water facilities. The tour will give visitors insight into how Flint’s water operations have changed in the last 10 years.

The City of Flint stopped using Flint River water in 2015 and the City now purchases treated Lake Huron water primarily from the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), with the Genesee County Drain Commission (GCDC) as a backup source. This major change means that the Water Plant no longer treats raw water as it once did. Instead, new technology prepares the water from GLWA and GCDC to enter Flint’s distribution system. Residents will get a look at this new technology on the tour.

The tour will begin at the Water Plant and continue to the Dort Pump Station, where renovations are currently wrapping up. The underground Dort Reservoir stores 20 million gallons of water, and the Dort Pump Station sends the water from the underground vault through the city’s water mains to homes and businesses.

Residents will have an opportunity to tour the Chemical Feed Building, a new high-tech facility located near the vault where water from GLWA combines with water from GCDC. This is where the water is injected with chemicals to meet the needs of Flint’s water distribution system and ensure the water is treated safely and effectively. Flint Water Plant staff check the machines around the clock and take readings to document the proper operation of the chemical injection system.

Finally, the tour will stop by the Flint Water Tower, where residents can see some of the renovations completed in 2023. The interior of the elevated tank has been cleaned and repainted, tank hatches have been upgraded, and nine steel roof support beams have been replaced. A 12-inch drain and an 8-inch overflow pipe have been completely renovated and a new catch basin has been added. New mixers were installed in the roof to help keep the water fresh.

Since 2016, the city’s water system has tested below action levels for lead and copper, and it remains among the most monitored and tested in Michigan. To learn more about Flint’s water infrastructure, residents can watch a virtual tour at: https://www.cityofflint.com/progress-report-on-flint-water/

The City of Flint Water Plant is located at 4500 Dort Hwy. Flint, MI 48506.