Flint, Michigan is approaching the end of one of the most painful chapters in its history — the replacement of thousands of lead water pipes that poisoned a predominantly Black American community and sparked national outrage. A decade after the crisis began, state officials say that more than 11,000 lead pipes have been replaced and over 28,000 properties have been restored. The progress report, filed in federal court Tuesday, signals that the city is nearing compliance with a 2017 lawsuit settlement that demanded the removal of toxic infrastructure from residents’ homes.
“Thanks to the persistence of the people of Flint and our partners, we are finally at the end of the lead pipe replacement project,” said Allen C. Overton of Concerned Pastors for Social Action, a plaintiff in the lawsuit. “While this milestone is not all the justice our community deserves, it is a huge achievement.”
The crisis began in 2014 when a state-appointed emergency manager cut ties with Detroit’s water supply and switched the city’s water source to the Flint River in a cost-saving move. Officials failed to treat the river water for corrosion, which allowed lead to leach from aging pipes into the water supply. Residents quickly noticed their tap water was discolored and smelled foul, but city officials insisted it was safe. In reality, the water tested positive for lead, E. coli bacteria, and trihalomethanes — a chemical byproduct of disinfection.
It wasn’t until October 2015 that Flint, under public pressure and national scrutiny, switched back to Detroit’s water. By then, nearly 100,000 residents had been exposed to lead. The CDC confirmed the scope of the damage, and a wave of civil lawsuits followed. While some criminal charges were brought, most were later dismissed. In 2021, Flint reached a $626 million settlement to compensate victims and fund the full replacement of lead service lines.
Still, the process has been marred by delays, miscommunication, and mistrust. Residents like Jeffrey Bell and his elderly mother Betty spent years buying bottled water, unaware that their home’s water line had been inspected back in 2017. “I have even more questions now,” Bell said after learning his home wasn’t on the list for new work. That kind of confusion was widespread.
Many homes were missed due to missing or outdated records. Some service lines were mapped using handwritten notecards from the early 1900s. Contractors came and went, digging up yards and sometimes leaving them in disrepair for months or even years. “It was like, yeah, we knew it; we couldn’t trust them,” said resident Danyele Darrough, who ended up reseeding her lawn herself after waiting years for follow-up work.
State officials estimate that roughly 4,000 homes may still have lead pipes. Some are vacant, others belong to residents who originally opted out. A new ordinance passed in Flint prevents homeowners from refusing future pipe replacements — a shift aimed at preventing more gaps in the process.
“We’re committed to ensuring that all Flint residents have safe drinking water now and in the future,” said Scott Dean, a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. “Working with the city to ensure the complete removal of all lead service lines later this year remains our top priority.”
Flint’s failures have become a cautionary tale for other U.S. cities, especially as the federal government pushes for the removal of an estimated 9 million lead service lines across the country. Experts say the lessons of Flint go beyond pipes — they’re about trust, communication, and accountability. “With lead, as with everything else, the first time people hear from their water utility can’t be when there is a concern,” said Greg Kail of the American Water Works Association.
For residents like Aonie Gilcreast, trust remains elusive. “We don’t know what to believe. We don’t trust the system,” she said at a recent community gathering. “Officials have said time after time after time… that everything was fine.”
Flint is now working through a list of more than 4,000 properties with potential lead lines, sending letters and making in-person visits to gain access. Officials hope that improved communication and data management — along with court oversight — will help prevent further delays. But rebuilding trust will take much longer.
“We would not have reached this day without the work of so many Flint residents who worked to hold our leaders accountable,” said Overton. “I have never been prouder to be a member of the Flint community.”
For those seeking justice, the completion of the Flint lead pipe replacement is just one step. The fight to ensure clean water access for all — especially in communities of color — continues.
