VA Tech wins EPA grant for water sampling in Flint

FLINT, MICH. March 1, 2016 -- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced an $80,000 grant to Virginia Tech University which will fund sampling to measure lead levels in Flint’s drinking water. Beginning this week, Virginia Tech researchers will work with residents to collect water samples from the 271 Flint residences that were first sampled in August 2015.

Virginia Tech’s sampling and analysis will help quantify reductions in lead levels in Flint's drinking water that have occurred since the city switched back to Detroit water in October and began adding more phosphates to reduce corrosion in December.

EPA's Flint Safe Drinking Water Task Force is overseeing the work required under the Agency's January 2016 emergency order to the city and state. The Agency continues to recommend that Flint residents use NSF-certified filters in their homes to remove lead. EPA’s latest sampling results confirm that these filters are effective in removing lead from drinking water.

Bottled water is still the safest option for vulnerable populations, including pregnant and breast-feeding women and children under six years old. Use only bottled water for water, food and formula given to babies under 1 year old. Everyone else should use bottled or filtered water for drinking and cooking.

EPA recommends that residents clean out their faucet aerators once a week until the Flint water system has recovered.

For more information: www.epa.gov/flint. Residents with questions regarding EPA’s response can contact EPA’s toll-free hotline at 810-434-5122, or email EPA at [email protected].