Mayor's Office

Statement from Mayor Weaver regarding recent comments made by MDEQ official

FLINT, Mich — Mayor Karen Weaver issued the following statement Monday in response to comments, Bryce Feighner, director of the Michigan DEQ Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance Division, made last week while speaking at a conference at Grand Valley State University:

“It was surprising and unfortunate to hear Bryce Feightner, someone who has been in Flint for months to assist the City in the recovery of the water crisis, make the remarks he made while speaking at a conference at Grand Valley State University last week. I feel it is disappointing, damaging and also irresponsible for an MDEQ official to say that ‘hype’ hurt the people of Flint even more than the water crisis itself.

All of the studies I have seen show the main cause of the water crisis was indeed the switch to the Flint River without the proper corrosion control being in place. It’s puzzling to hear Bryce all of a sudden dispute that.

People often ask me, “How do we rebuild the residents’ trust?” Well, statements like this made by a government official that goes against everything so many have been working toward based on facts presented by scientists and other experts, certainly doesn’t help.”