New Extended Sentinel Site program shows improvement in the most challenged parts of Flint water system

Pilot pipe replacement program shows encouraging results

Monday, June 13, 2016

FLINT, Mich. – A new Extended Sentinel Site program that continues testing at targeted residences in Flint began this month and shows encouraging results, Gov. Rick Snyder said today.

“The new information that this program provides will be important in determining what is happening in the most challenging parts of the water distribution system,” Snyder said.  “This data will bring us closer to being able to understand the areas of concern and address them.”

The new program consists of more than 160 residences across the city that are most likely to have elevated lead levels in the water, including homes:

• with known lead service lines,
• that had service lines the state paid to replace under the mayor’s Fast Start Program,
• with copper and galvanized service lines found to have high lead levels during the original sentinel program, and
• from areas where the incidence of elevated blood lead levels were predicted to be higher.

The results to date are encouraging. The first five rounds of the original sentinel program showed a gradual improvement in the percentage of samples that were at or below the action level of 15 parts per billion (PPB). The first round of the extended sentinel program shows that 93 percent of the samples were at 15 PPB or less.  Although this percentage is slightly lower than the latest original sentinel test results, it indicates improvement because the extended sentinel program is focused on only high-risk sites.

Of the 160 Extended Sentinel Sites, 124 were part of the final round of the original Sentinel Site testing. Of those 124 sites, roughly 79 percent were at or below 15 PPB for lead during the previous round of testing. In this latest round of testing, roughly 94 percent were at or below 15 PPB while more than 90 percent were at or below 10 PPB.

The Extended Sentinel Site program provides a more comprehensive picture of the effectiveness of the orthophosphate coating throughout the system, as well as regular data on the quality of the water distribution system throughout the city. The sites were established with the cooperation of residents by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and reviewed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The state is working with the city of Flint to continue efforts to replace lead service lines in Flint through a $25 million appropriation in the state budget, as well as the $2.5 million already provided for addressing lead service lines.

The results of the initial work through the mayor’s Fast Start program have been very encouraging.  Thirty-one of 33 homes that had service lines replaced also participated in the first round of the extended Sentinel Site program.  Of those 31 homes, 30 tested below the federal action level.  The one home that exceeded 15 PPB was at 22 PPB.  The rest of the homes were at 10 PPB or less. 

Residents who have had their service lines replaced are being asked to continue the use of filters until further notice so that a complete evaluation of the service line process can be scientifically evaluated. 

Flushing faucets on a daily basis and cleaning faucet aerators weekly will help reduce the presence of lead. Government and independent scientists have reported that filters continue to be effective in the removal of lead, even at high levels or in the presence of lead particles.

Additional information about the Flint water emergency is available at www.michigan.gov/flintwater, by calling United Way 211, or by visiting www.helpforflint.com.

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