Governor Rick Snyder and Representative Sheldon Neeley celebrate the signing of the water legislation at Grace Emmanuel Church in Flint.
Credit Executive Office of Gov. Rick Snyder
Governor Rick Snyder signed a new law Friday that would require water systems to notify residents within three days if their water tests above the federal action level for lead. Michigan’s Safe Drinking Water Act needed an update.
That was the message of the governor and supporters of the legislation at the bill’s signing. Governor Rick Snyder says the bill is an important first step. “The people of Flint went through something they shouldn’t of had to go through, and we need to recover from that. We need to fix the problems, move forward, and make Flint a better, stronger place for the longterm.”
The three-day rule would not have helped Flint, though. That’s because state officials skirted federal rules when they calculated Flint’s lead level. The number they calculated put Flint just under the action level. Part of the ongoing criminal investigations into the Flint Water Crisis involve charges against officials who knew the water was bad, but did not tell the public.
I’m Cheyna Roth in Flint.