Gov. Snyder Signs $28 Million Spending Bill For Flint Aid
GRAND RAPIDS (WWJ/AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder has signed into law $28 million in emergency funding to address Flint's lead-contaminated water crisis.
It's the second round of state aid since the fall, when improperly treated water was found to have leached lead from pipes into the city's supply.
The Republican governor signed the measure Friday at a Michigan Press Association meeting in Grand Rapids. He says the funding will provide immediate resources in Flint but is not the end of state assistance.
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The money is intended to pay for bottled water, faucet filters, testing kits, additional school nurses, community education, medical treatment and case management for those at risk for elevated lead levels.
The funds also will help the city with unpaid water bills and cover testing, monitoring and other costs.
"In other words, they are covering the waterfront with this money to try to address that problem in Flint," WWJ Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick said.
There is also funding to hire outside experts to assess whether Flint's water system infrastructure must be replaced or repaired.
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The city's water is currently undrinkable after it became contaminated when Flint switched from the Detroit water system to the Flint River as a cost-cutting move. The corrosive water lacked adequate treatment and caused lead to leach from old pipes — and there has since been much discussion about who should be held accountable.
Flint has since reconnected to Detroit water.
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