10 Years, $100 Million, and 11,000 Pipes: The Brutal Reality of Fixing a City’s Drinking Water Was Just Revealed

10 Years, $100 Million, and 11,000 Pipes: The Brutal Reality of Fixing a City’s Drinking Water Was Just Revealed

While Flint’s lead pipe lawsuit officially closed today, other cities are also in the process of revamping their water systems—and facing a brutal reality.

Flint officials say lead pipe replacement obligations are now fulfilled

Nine years after the Concerned Pastors for Social Action sued the city over its response to the water crisis, officials announced Thursday, July 9, that all obligations under a federal court settlement have been fulfilled.

Legal Battle to Remove Flint’s Lead Pipes is Officially Closed

City and state urged to remove remaining lead lines as quickly as possible

City OKs lead pipe overhaul program

CITY COUNCIL

Mayor Neeley and president of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action announce resolution of one of last Flint Water Crisis lawsuits – The Courier News

Written by Tanya Terry, with featured photo by Tanya Terry It has been nine years since the Concerned Pastor for Social Action sued the City of Flint because of the way city officials responded to the Flint Water Crisis. The lawsuit required replacement of all lead service lines free of charge to residents, proper treatment and monitoring of drinking water for residents in Flint and making water filters available for those residents, as well. On July 9, 2026, Mayor Sheldon Neeley expressed optimism when announcing the successful resolution of one of the last Flint Water Crisis federal court case resolutions. “Today, a notice of satisfaction is being filed in the US District Court, confirming all obligations have been met,” Neeley said. “Today’s a great day in the journey. The journey of partnership and working together with the Concerned Pastors in the city of Flint to get a resolve and a great outcome for residents in this wonderful, blessed community.” On July 9, 2026, Mayor Sheldon Neeley expressed optimism when announcing the successful resolution of one of the last Flint Water Crisis federal court case resolutions. “It’s been a long road to where we are, but it shows that when we work together for the greater good, we see that great things can be accomplished,” said Pastor Alfred Harris, president of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action. “As president of the Concerned Pastors, I want to mention our co-laborers: Melissa Mays, the ACLU and NRDC that works with us for the purposes of making sure that Flint is 100% restored from the effects of the Water Crisis…We have the City of Flint and those other entities that I mentioned…We can overcome and come out on top. And we still recommend the use of filters in our homes. But I believe it will close out by making this statement: the best is yet to come.” Pastor Alfred Harris, president of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action, stated at a recent press conference that he feels “the best is yet to come” for Flint. Photo by Tanya Terry. According to Neeley, there were originally 31,000 lead service lines as it relates to this particular lawsuit, and there are about 30 remaining. Neeley said compiling documents and getting consent from individuals property owners has been a challenge in those cases. Shebra Ward, public health manager for the City of Flint, stated: “We are glad that we’ve reached this milestone, but of course, we know that residents still need a level of support. And so, the Office of Public Health still has systems available for residents in need. You can come into City Hall, pick one up Monday through Friday, 9 to 5. You can go to the Mays Senior Community Center the same times to pick one up, or the McKinley Community Center. We want residents to know that we are still here to offer support. “If you still have a level of distrust, you can also still get that two bottle testing kit located here at City Hall,” added Ward. “You are not alone in this fight. We’ve come a long way. We know we have a long way to go, and we want to be able to address those traumas and distrust by saying we have resources available. So, if you need a PUR system, if you need those refills, please come in and see us. You can also call us at (810) 410-2020, and we will be glad to assist you in this moving forward.” Shebra Ward, public health manager for the City of Flint, recently gave information on resources still available to city residents. Neeley note the environmental protection agencies of the state of Michigan and also our federal government, the EPA, were still giving and doing tests of Flint’s water quality as it relates to the lead copper rule. “We have tested successfully over the last six years, making sure we meet the level of the standards by the federal government and the state government,” added Neeley. “We continue to say there is no amount of lead in your water that is safe, but by the federal and state standards, we have met and exceeded those standards as put forth by the testing of our water. We will continue to test our waters, which we do in six months increments, every six months.” The EPA notes that even low levels of lead in the blood of children can cause behavior and learning problems, lower IQ and hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems and anemia. The agency also noted that in rare cases, ingestion of lead can cause seizures, coma and even death of those under 18. Adults exposed to lead can suffer from cardiovascular effects (increased blood pressure and incidence of hypertension), decreased kidney function and reproductive problems in both men and women, according to the EPA. Since 2017, plaintiffs Melissa Mays, the Concerned Pastors for Social Action, the ACLU of Michigan and the NRDC went to court six times in six years to make sure the City of Flint kept up with its obligations according to the court ordered settlement in the Safe Drinking Water Act Lawsuit. As of publication time, the filings announced earlier in the day July 9 had not yet been made public.