F Flint Water Crisis Public Archive

Correspondence among

Emails where every selected person appears as a sender, recipient, or copied participant.

Adam Rosenthal Joanne Rennaker Mike Prysby

RE: Flint calls

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Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 3:07:23 PM ODWMA is receiving a lot of calls with questions from Flint residents concerned about the safety of their drinking water. If you receive one of these calls, our message should be consistent — the drinking water distributed to city customers currently meets all drinking water standards and is considered safe. However, there is no safe level for lead. The fact that Flint meets the drinking water standard is based on an evaluation of the effectiveness of their treatment system to minimize lead leaching from plumbing materials. Compliance does not mean that under certain conditions that some homeowners may still have water in their domestic plumbing that has leached some lead from lead pipes or lead solder. The only way for a resident to know if they may be exposed to lead leaching from their plumbing system is having a sample from that residence analyzed for lead at a certified laboratory. The DEQ laboratory is not providing that service at no cost. The city of Flint currently is accommodating requests from residents without charging them, but the residents have to go through the city to arrange that sampling, and the city may have a backlog right now. If the caller has a result that indicates lead is present, or in the absence of a result, our advice should be to minimize any stagnation of the water before consumption, even without knowing if they have plumbing that contains lead. You could tell them they can do so by letting a faucet run for a few minutes or until the water is cooler (don’t set a time — it can be so variable) and then use it for drinking or cooking. Please be polite and empathetic if you receive one of these calls. | also want to thank you for the effort you have made to respond to this issue. It is noticed and appreciated. In recognition of your performance, | have arranged for you to receive a 2 percent merit increase starting tomorrow. Richard Richard Benzie, P.E., Chief Field Operations Section Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance, MDEQ 517-284-6512 xxxEND_PAGE:deq02_b317_3546_3546_1

RE: Flint calls

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ODMMA is receiving a lot of calls with questions from Flint residents concerned about the safety of their drinking water. If you receive one of these calls, our message should be consistent ~ the drinking water distributed to city customers currently meets all drinking water standards and is considered safe. However, there is no safe level for iead. The fact that Flint meets the drinking water standard is based on an evaluation of the effectiveness of their freaiment system to minimize lead leaching from plumbing materials. Cornpliance does nal mean thal under certain condifions that sore hornecwners rnay sil have water in their dornestic nlurnbing that has leached some lead from lead pipes or lead solder. The only way for a resident to know if they may be exposed to lead leaching from their plumbing systern is having 2 sample from that residence analyzed for lead at a certified laboratory. The DEG laboratory is nat crovicing that service at ne cost. The city of Flint currently is accornmodating requests frarn residents without charging them, but the residents have to go through the city to arrange that sampling, and the city may have a backlog right now. if the caller has a result that indicates lead is present, or in the absence of a resull, our advice should be ta minimize any stagnation of the water before consumption, even without knowing if they have plumbing that contains jead. ‘You could tell them they can do so by jetting a faucet run for a few minutes or until the water is cooler idor’t sel a time ~ it can be so variable) and then use it for drinking or cooking. Please be polite and empathetic if you receive one of these calls. { aiso want to thank you for the effort you have made to respond to this issue. itis noticed and appreciated. in recognition of your performance, | have arranged for you to receive a 2 percent! merit increase starting tornorraw. Richard Richard Benzie, PE, Ohief Fieid Cperations Section Office of Drinking Water anc Municipal Assistance, MOEGQ 817-284-6512 xxxEND_PAGE:deq14_b0161_0867_0867_1

RE: Flint calls

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Date: Wednesday, September 30, 2015 3:07:00 PM ODWMA is receiving a lot of calls with questions from Flint residents concerned about the safety of their drinking water. If you receive one of these calls, our message should be consistent — the drinking water distributed to city customers currently meets all drinking water standards and is considered safe. However, there is no safe level for lead. The fact that Flint meets the drinking water standard is based on an evaluation of the effectiveness of their treatment system to minimize lead leaching from plumbing materials. Compliance does not mean that under certain conditions that some homeowners may still have water in their domestic plumbing that has leached some lead from lead pipes or lead solder. The only way for a resident to know if they may be exposed to lead leaching from their plumbing system is having a sample from that residence analyzed for lead at a certified laboratory. The DEQ laboratory is not providing that service at no cost. The city of Flint currently is accommodating requests from residents without charging them, but the residents have to go through the city to arrange that sampling, and the city may have a backlog right now. If the caller has a result that indicates lead is present, or in the absence of a result, our advice should be to minimize any stagnation of the water before consumption, even without knowing if they have plumbing that contains lead. You could tell them they can do so by letting a faucet run for a few minutes or until the water is cooler (don’t set a time — it can be so variable) and then use it for drinking or cooking. Please be polite and empathetic if you receive one of these calls. | also want to thank you for the effort you have made to respond to this issue. It is noticed and appreciated. In recognition of your performance, | have arranged for you to receive a 2 percent merit increase starting tomorrow. Richard Richard Benzie, P.E., Chief Field Operations Section Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance, MDEQ 517-284-6512 xxxEND_PAGE:deq04_b403_4643_4643_1