18,000 Flint Water Lines Have Been Approved To Be Fix

Water lines at 18,000 homes in Flint, Michigan, will be replaced under a landmark deal approved by a judge on Tuesday, marking a milestone in the effort to overcome the disastrous decision in 2014 to draw water from a river without treating it to prevent lead contamination. Flint will be responsible for replacing lead and galvanized-steel lines that bring water into homes. The cost could be as high as $97 million, with federal and state governments covering the bill. Pipes at more than 700 homes have been replaced so far. The court-ordered pipe replacement is unprecedented in the United States, said lead attorney Dimple Chaudhary of the Natural Resources Defense Council. The group sued Flint and Michigan on behalf of residents, along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan. "Flint proved that even while poisoned, we're not just victims," said resident Melissa Mays, a plaintiff in the case. "We're fighters."