Importance: — High
All—these are the notes | jotted down during our call this past Tuesday when we discussed Flint. Any edits?
Jennifer
Date: August 31,2015 é
Present: Liane Shekter Smith, Richard Benzie, Steve Busch, (2 other MDEQ staff?), Tom Poy, Andrea Porter, Janet
Kuefler, Jennifer Crooks
_ STRATEGIC NEXT STEPS FOR FLINT TO ADDRESS LEAD CORROSION CONCERNS
Tom Poy discussed Marc Edwards’ website, “Flint, MI Water Study Updates”
The discussion focused on the lead sampling and analytical results
Marc Edwards’ team posted to their website. Tom emphasized that EPA is not involved with Mare Edwards’ work in,
Flint. Tom mentioned that the Edwards team’s samples may not have been analyzed by a certified lab (which is only
required for compliance samples) nor taken from sites that qualify as Tier 1 for LCR compliance sampling, but the results
give further evidence that lead levels in Flint are trending upward. (The conclusion that there is an increasing trend of
lead concentrations at consumer taps builds upon earlier compliance sampling taken by Flint in 2014 and 2015 that
showed the 90" percentile of the 1* 6-month sampling period at 6ppb, then the 90” percentile of the 2" 6-month
sampling period at 11ppb.)
The “Flint, Mi Water Study Updates” website is putting added pressure on MDEQ and EPA to ensure that Flint addresses
their lack of optimized corrosion control treatment in an expedited manner in order to protect the residents from
exposure to high lead levels. Richard noted that there are numerous systems across the country that have installed
corrosion control treatment, have optimized their corrosion control, but continue to have high lead levels. We all
acknowledged that this is true, but we all also acknowledged that to delay installation of corrosion control treatment in
Flint would likely cause even higher levels of lead over time as Flint’s approximately 15,000 lead service lines are
continuously in contact with corrosive water.
Region 5 and MDEQ brainstormed on strategic next steps for Flint to address lead corrosion concerns. These steps
included:
1. Public Education for Flint Residents. Liane has contacted the Department of Community Health to discuss
developing a consumer lead education piece outlining the consumer's responsibilities to lower the lead in their
drinking water. The Region was glad to hear of a plan to initiate Lead Public Education since this will provide the
"public immediate actions they can take. The educational! material could include steps.consumers can take
immediately to reduce their exposure to lead in drinking water (flushing their lines.after long stagnation periods,
using filters certified to remove lead, etc.) as well as longer term fixes to remove lead sources (for example,
financing the cost to remove any part of a lead service line on the owner’s property at the same time as Flint is
replacing its portion of the lead service line).
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2. Gathering Information on Flint’s Future Treatment Plans. Steve Busch said Flint and their engineering
consultants were meeting this week (Sept 1) to discuss conceptually the necessary optimized corrosion control.
treatment at Flint. Tom Poy shared EPA lead experts’ (Mike Schock and Darren Lytle of EPA’s Office of Research
and Development in Cincinnati). caution against simply adding orthophosphate without first studying the water
quality and existing distribution systern conditions to ensure that any installed treatment has a good chance of
working. EPA lead experts have research and field experience showing the complexity of optimizing corrosion
control treatment when water quality is significantly changed, as is the case for Flint. °
3. Offering Flint Free Help from EPA Experts. Steve Busch has already provided the names of EPA lead experts
(Mike Schock and Darren Lytle) to Flint, as has Susan Hedman, R5 Administrator. MDEQ and Region.5 agree that,
to successfully contro} lead corrosion in the distribution system, Flint needs to review this situation holistically,
while also addressing the lead issue in an expedited manner.
4. Laying Groundwork for MDEQ/EPA Collaboration with Flint. If Flint accepts the offer of technical assistance for
optimizing corrosion control, Tom Poy suggested that MDEQ and EPA lead experts (Mike Schock and Darren
Lytle) form a partnership to provide such help. EPA experts are able to provide pipe scale analyses,.as well as
other laboratory support. Although Flint (using their consultant) bears the ultimate responsibility for designing
and installing corrosion control, MDEQ and EPA experts are willing and able to provide advice throughout the
process.
END
Jennifer
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