Mayor, School and Medical Officials Talk Future of Water Distribution & What Needs to Happen Before Changes Are Made

Flint, Mich– Mayor Karen Weaver stood with Flint Schools Superintendent Bilal Tawwab, local pediatrician Dr. Lawrence Reynolds, and other community leaders Wednesday, to provide an update on the water crisis recovery effort underway in the City of Flint.

“I am here today as a show of my support in the ongoing efforts to help properly transition the City of Flint from crisis to recovery from the man-made water disaster,” said Mayor Weaver. “I am pleased to be a part of what Bilal Tawwab and local medical and public health professionals like Doctors Reynolds and Mona Hana-Attisha and the Technical Advisory Council are doing to protect and promote public health in our community for all children and all residents of Flint.”

Weaver said the input of the medical community is critical and must be part of the decision making process as plans are made.

“I lean to the recommendations of the Technical Advisory Council so that we can be assured that Flint is positioned as a water research hub. This includes being a true model community with validated best practices for school drinking water safety.  What has happened here in Flint, should never happen again. Not in Michigan, not in this country, not anywhere.

Flint Schools Superintendent, Bilal Tawwab, made it clear that he is not opposed to the water being tested at Flint schools. He says state officials first need to develop a clear plan to test the water, and the plan should include more than one round of testing.

“The district has not and will not refuse any request from the state to test water in our buildings, the district has requested a long-term plan from the state including multiple rounds of testing to be conducted to the satisfaction of the medical community and (a commitment) that the data is shared on an ongoing basis with the citizens in Flint,” stated Tawwab.

Mayor Weaver agreed.

“I will not sign off on any major changes to the water distribution efforts in Flint until I have received input and advice from the medical community,” Weaver said. “I will be taking my lead from them as we determine the next steps in this process, especially when it comes to our kids.”

~Note:

Members of the City of Flint Technical Advisory Council (COFTAC) met and drafted the following set of recommendation for Flint Community Schools and noted that the transition from bottled water to filtered water should be gradual and not before the following is accomplished:

• Provisions made for special populations (high-risk for infection)
• On-going monitoring and maintenance protocols developed, which should include annual flushing protocol, filter maintenance, and monitoring of lead and bacteria
• Oversight of flushing/filter maintenance protocol and regular review of water monitoring results by an independent body
• A clear plan should be implemented to keep school faculty, students and parents and informed and engaged and
• Protocol developed must be feasible for school staff to follow