How much money is needed to combat elevated lead levels in Michigan communities?

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. – The issue of elevated lead levels in Michigan drinking water only seems to be growing.

It started years ago in Flint, then Benton Harbor and now cities like Manchester, Wayne and Hamtramck have all reported elevated lead levels in recent weeks.

The next step is to fix the issue and that can get expensive.

Benton Harbor residents are relying on filters and bottled water. In Hamtramck, the concern has been on fixing old infrastructure. Michigan has put millions of dollars towards Flint and Hamtramck.

The federal infrastructure bill originally had millions dedicated to lead removal but that number has dropped significantly. It’s estimated that Michigan alone needs $2 billion to remove lead.

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About the Authors:

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.