Mayor Neeley calls on all Flint residents to get water pipes checked now — Service Line Replacement program ending soon

FLINT, Michigan — Mayor Sheldon Neeley made an urgent plea today to all residents of Flint to get their lead service lines replaced NOW. The City of Flint’s Service Line Replacement program will replace lead pipes going into people’s homes for FREE, but work is almost completed. 

Last year, Mayor Neeley extended the deadline set for residents to sign up for the program because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, nine months past that deadline, time is running out and so residents are being informed they can continue to sign up for the program for the next 28 days. That deadline is July 23, 2021.

“We have been enduring the water crisis for seven long years. Completion of the lead service line replacement program is the single most important project designed to reduce the risk of lead exposure in our community,” Mayor Neeley said. “We need all residents’ cooperation to protect our community now and for future generations.”

Even if you previously have declined service line replacement, you can still get your water pipes checked. Signing up is easy: 

Call:                810-410-1132
Email:             [email protected]
Online:           cityofflint.com/GetTheLeadOut
Mail:               Flint City Hall
                       DPW Service line replacement program
1101 S. Saginaw St.
                       Flint, MI  48502

It is also urgent that residents cooperate with scheduling their pipe replacement. Someone over age 18 must be home at the time of service (it does not need to be a homeowner) because crews also must access the interior of the home when replacing pipes. 

While crews estimate they have just 200-300 more service lines to replace, there are more than 2,500 households that have not allowed work crews to check their service lines or have not cooperated with scheduling service line excavations at their homes. While these non-participants could already know their home uses safe, copper pipes, Mayor Neeley encouraged all households that aren’t absolutely certain their pipes are safe to call the helpline at (810) 410-1133 TODAY to get their service lines checked and replaced for FREE if necessary. 

A postcard also is being mailed to all households that declined or did not respond to the City’s previous attempts to check their service lines. Every household in Flint has received multiple mailings about the need to have their service lines checked, received door hangers asking them to participate, and received at least two – and often many more – visits from work crews asking them to participate in the program.

As of June 18, 2021, the City of Flint has checked the service lines at 27,092 homes and replaced 10,041 lead and/or galvanized steel pipes. The remaining 17,051 homes used safe, copper lines and did not need replacement. 

The City continues to expect to finish service line replacement this year and restoration efforts will follow.

The process is simple, but a resident 18 years or older must be home while the service line is excavated and, if necessary, replaced:

— Crews dig a hole to check the home’s pipes.
— If the pipes are copper, they are safe and do not need to be replaced. The hole is filled and crews stop asking for permission to check your service lines.
— If the pipes are lead or galvanized steel, the pipes will be immediately replaced in most circumstances. Crews will briefly need to enter the home to ensure the service line is connected properly.
— Crews return to the residence to make additional yard, sidewalk and grounds repairs as needed. A resident does not need to be home for restoration work to occur.

Replacing lead and galvanized steel service lines in the city is one of three major infrastructure improvements set to be completed this year. The City also expects to complete construction of the secondary water line and a new water treatment building this year.

For more information on the work being done to repair Flint’s water infrastructure, see the Progress Report on Flint Water at www.CityofFlint.com/progressreport.

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