Liane and Richard,
Please see below----could you provide written comments/suggestions on this bill that we
could share with Rep. Zemke’s office.
Thanks.
Sarah
Sarah M. Howes | Legislative Liaison
Department of Environmental Quality
517.284.6707 O | C 517.282.9204
Great! Thanks so much for your help on this.
Stephen Busch, P.E.
Lansing and Jackson District Supervisor
Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance
MDEQ
517-643-2314
Yes, Sen, Ananich and Rep. Phelps both received the advanced notice of the VN. I called Rep. Phelps and Rep. Neeley to
let them know that DEQ was unable to attend or particinate in the meeting earlier this week due to the short notice, but
are happy to in the future.
Lalso teft a message for Sen. Ananich saying that we can corne over and brief hira on the status and answer any
questions. i hayen’t heard back yet.
Thanks you all for your work on this.
Sarah
Sarah M. Howes | Legislative Liaison
touent of Environmental Quality
Date: Friday, January 09, 2015 2:36:00 PM
Yes, Sen. Ananich and Rep. Phelps both received the advanced notice of the VN. | called Rep. Phelps
and Rep. Neeley to let them know that DEQ was unable to attend or participate in the meeting
earlier this week due to the short notice, but are happy to in the future.
| also left a message for Sen. Ananich saying that we can come over and brief him on the status and
answer any questions. | haven’t heard back yet.
Thanks you all for your work on this.
Sarah
Sarah M. Howes | Legislative Liaison
Department of Environmental Quality
517.284.6707 O | C 517.282.9204
Date: Friday, January 09, 2015 2:36:00 PM
Yes, Sen. Ananich and Rep. Phelps both received the advanced notice of the VN. | called Rep. Phelps
and Rep. Neeley to let them know that DEQ was unable to attend or participate in the meeting
earlier this week due to the short notice, but are happy to in the future.
| also left a message for Sen. Ananich saying that we can come over and brief him on the status and
answer any questions. | haven’t heard back yet.
Thanks you all for your work on this.
Sarah
Sarah M. Howes | Legislative Liaison
Department of Environmental Quality
517.284.6707 O | C 517.282.9204
Steve and Sarah,
| assume he received the advance notice of the violation with the other legislators. We could send him the
summary that Mike had prepared and left with Representatives Neeley and Phelps on Tuesday, and offer to
meet with him if he still has questions. But! think it would be appropriate for that information to be delivered
Date: Friday, January 09, 2015 10:33:37 AM
Steve and Sarah,
| assume he received the advance notice of the violation with the other legislators. We
could send him the summary that Mike had prepared and left with Representatives Neeley
and Phelps on Tuesday, and offer to meet with him if he still has questions. But | think it
would be appropriate for that information to be delivered from Sarah or Maggie unless they
advise the district to provide it to Senator Ananich’s office directly and just copy them.
Richard
Richard Benzie, P.E., Chief
Field Operations Section
Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance, MDEQ
517-284-6512
Date: Friday, January 09, 2015 10:33:00 AM
Steve and Sarah,
| assume he received the advance notice of the violation with the other legislators. We
could send him the summary that Mike had prepared and left with Representatives Neeley
and Phelps on Tuesday, and offer to meet with him if he still has questions. But | think it
would be appropriate for that information to be delivered from Sarah or Maggie unless they
advise the district to provide it to Senator Ananich’s office directly and just copy them.
Richard
Richard Benzie, P.E., Chief
Field Operations Section
Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance, MDEQ
517-284-6512
When: Tuesday, January 06, 2015 4:00 PM-5:00 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada).
Where: 798 HOB/Mt downstairs at guard's desk
Attached is the letter from the City of Flint that Rep. Neeley would like to discuss. He would like an overview of the issue
and situation and update on the water issues/how they are working to be solved.
Let’s meet at the main entrance by the guard’s desk at 3:45 and we can walk over together.
Thank you for being flexible and available on such short notice. It is much appreciated.
Sarah
<< File: Flint Water Quality Letter.pdf >>
xxxEND_PAGE:deq21_b171_0601_0601_1
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2014 3:25:19 PM
| was just contacted by Kate Wells, Michigan Radio NPR regarding the recent news about General
otors concerns regarding chloride levels in Flint’s Drinking Water.
explained that chloride does have a secondary level set by EPA which is not for health related issues
but rather for taste and aesthetic concerns. Chloride which can generally come from salt, NaCl,
sodium chloride, is a normal part of people’s diets, and the amounts in Flint’s drinking water would
ikely be minor compared to normal dietary intakes.
She asked about how chloride could be causing corrosion issues at GM. | indicated that | wasn’t sure
how they were utilizing the water or what their process consisted of. | did indicate that we normally
ook at other parameters in drinking water such as pH and alkalinity when considering its corrosivity.
She asked about where water is analyzed. | indicated that most chemical analysis is performed at a
certified laboratory, and that Flint has generally used the State Drinking Water Lab. She asked
about how results are reported and | said that results go back to the system which then provides
results to the DEQ, and that the State DW lab will report directly to the DEQ in addition to the City.
She asked about consumer confidence reports (CCRs). | explained that these are federal
requirements for all Community Water Systems. | informed her that detections for regulated
contaminants would be reported but that with the exception of sodium, unregulated contaminants
such as chloride are not required to be reported. That sodium is included so people with low
sodium diets can determine their intake from water. | also clarified that the City’s current CCR
which had to be issued by July 1 would reflect results from 2013 (when Flint was on DWSD) and that
2014 results would be in the CCR issued in 2015.
She asked whether there would be similar health related issues from chloride as there are with
sodium since they are both in salt, but | indicated that I’m not aware of any such issue and that if
there were EPA would have asked it to be reported on the CCR and/or established a primary
standard for it.
She asked about salt entering water, it’s visibility, and | explained that when salt is present in water it
will dissolve into sodium and chloride, that it would not be visible in the water, especially at the
levels indicated.
Stephen Busch, P.E.
Lansing and Jackson District Supervisor
Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance
MDEQ
517-643-2314
xxxEND_PAGE:deq04_b291_3618_3619_1
xxxEND_PAGE:deq04_b291_3618_3619_2
Date: Thursday, October 16, 2014 3:25:18 PM
| was just contacted by Kate Wells, Michigan Radio NPR regarding the recent news about General
otors concerns regarding chloride levels in Flint’s Drinking Water.
explained that chloride does have a secondary level set by EPA which is not for health related issues
but rather for taste and aesthetic concerns. Chloride which can generally come from salt, NaCl,
sodium chloride, is a normal part of people’s diets, and the amounts in Flint’s drinking water would
ikely be minor compared to normal dietary intakes.
She asked about how chloride could be causing corrosion issues at GM. | indicated that | wasn’t sure
how they were utilizing the water or what their process consisted of. | did indicate that we normally
ook at other parameters in drinking water such as pH and alkalinity when considering its corrosivity.
She asked about where water is analyzed. | indicated that most chemical analysis is performed at a
certified laboratory, and that Flint has generally used the State Drinking Water Lab. She asked
about how results are reported and | said that results go back to the system which then provides
results to the DEQ, and that the State DW lab will report directly to the DEQ in addition to the City.
She asked about consumer confidence reports (CCRs). | explained that these are federal
requirements for all Community Water Systems. | informed her that detections for regulated
contaminants would be reported but that with the exception of sodium, unregulated contaminants
such as chloride are not required to be reported. That sodium is included so people with low
sodium diets can determine their intake from water. | also clarified that the City’s current CCR
which had to be issued by July 1 would reflect results from 2013 (when Flint was on DWSD) and that
2014 results would be in the CCR issued in 2015.
She asked whether there would be similar health related issues from chloride as there are with
sodium since they are both in salt, but | indicated that I’m not aware of any such issue and that if
there were EPA would have asked it to be reported on the CCR and/or established a primary
standard for it.
She asked about salt entering water, it’s visibility, and | explained that when salt is present in water it
will dissolve into sodium and chloride, that it would not be visible in the water, especially at the
levels indicated.
Stephen Busch, P.E.
Lansing and Jackson District Supervisor
Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance
MDEQ
517-643-2314
xxxEND_PAGE:deq01_b215_3881_3882_1
003882
xxxEND_PAGE:deq01_b215_3881_3882_2
I was just contacted by Kate Wells, Michigan Radio NPR regarding the recent news about General Motors concerns
regarding chloride levels in Flint’s Drinking Water.
I explained that chloride does have a secondary level set by EPA which is not for health related issues but rather for taste
and aesthetic concerns. Chloride which can generally come from salt, NaCl, sodium chloride, is a normal part of people’s
diets, and the amounts in Flint’s drinking water would likely be minor compared to normal dietary intakes.
She asked about how chloride could be causing corrosion issues at GM. I indicated that I wasn’t sure how they were
utilizing the water or what their process consisted of. I did indicate that we normally look at other parameters in
drinking water such as pH and alkalinity when considering its corrosivity.
She asked about where water is analyzed. I indicated that most chemical analysis is performed. at a certified laboratory,
and that Flint has generally used the State Drinking Water Lab. She asked about how results are reported and I said that
results go back to the system which then provides results to the DEQ, and that the State DW lab will report directly to
the DEQ in addition to the City. ~
She asked about consumer confidence reports (CCRs): | explained that these are federal requirements for all
Community Water Systems. I informed her that detections for regulated contaminants would be reported but that with
the exception of sodium, unregulated contaminants such as chloride are not required to be reported. That sodium is
included so people with low sodium diets can determine their intake from water. I also clarified that the City’s current
CCR which had to be issued by July 1 would reflect results from 2013 (when Flint was on DWSD) and that 2014 results
would be in the CCR issued in 2015.
She asked whether there would be similar health related issues from chloride as there are with sodium since they are
both in salt, but I indicated that I’m not aware of any such issue and that if there were EPA would have asked it to be
reported on the CCR and/or established a primary standard for it.
She asked about salt entering water, it’s visibility, and I explained that when salt is present in water it will dissolve into
sodium and chloride, that it would not be visible-in the water, especially at the levels indicated.
Stephen Busch, P.E.
Lansing and Jackson District Supervisor
Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance
MDEQ
517-643-2314