The state of Michigan said it is prepared to step in and oversee property repairs at 1,900 homes in Flint where water pipes have been inspected or replaced, but the site remains a mess.
The city was in March found in civil contempt by a judge after missing deadlines to get the work done, years after a 2014 water change in Flint caused lead to leak from old pipes, spoiling the drinking water system.
Between 10,000 and 11,000 lead or galvanized steel pipes have been replaced as part of a lawsuit between Flint and residents, the Natural Resources Defense Council said.
“But there are 1,900 homes where the city has not gone back and repaired the property,” said NRDC attorney Sarah Tallman, pointing to broken driveways and sidewalks and torn lawns.
In a lawsuit, the state asked U.S. District Judge David Lawson to intervene.
“The state has agreed to assume responsibility for managing the work performed by the city’s contractors, including the payment of additional funds necessary to complete that work,” the attorney’s office said General Wednesday.
Flint has no objection to the state’s help. The rest of the work will likely cost more than $4.75 million.
“We welcome the state’s involvement,” Tallman said. “Our goal is just to get the job done. It has been overdue for years and the city has not met its obligations.”
Nearly $100 million for the overall pipe replacement project came from state and federal governments. Flint returned to a Detroit-area water supplier in the fall of 2015.
