Michigan Gov.: Get rid of lead pipes in 20 years

Dec. 1, 2017

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder wants every underground lead pipe in the state replaced within two decades.

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Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said this week he wants every underground lead pipe in the state replaced within two decades. Photo: Flickr.

MICHIGAN, DEC 1, 2017 -- Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said this week he wants every underground lead pipe in the state replaced within two decades.

The Herald Tribune reported that under the Governor's draft rules, municipalities would have 20 years to replace around 500,000 lead service lines in the state.

The administration also wants to delay a key deadline for limiting lead in drinking water by four years, pushing the deadline for finalizing Michigan's "action level" for lead in drinking water from 2020 to 2024.

The Governor's remarks come after a study -- conducted in the shadow of the Flint crisis -- revealed that lead poisoning in Detroit's children younger than 6 who were tested last year spiked almost 28 percent.

The Detroit Free Presssaid The Detroit Health Department began to actively test for lead after the drinking water crisis.