Flint Safe Drinking Water Task Force
The Task Force is comprised of scientists and technical experts from the EPA Region 5 office in Chicago, the National Risk Management Research Lab in Cincinnati and the EPA drinking water program. In addition, the Governor has designated a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality official and the Mayor of Flint has designated a city official to serve as points of contact for the Task Force.
Task Force members are available to consult with MDEQ and the City of Flint on site in Flint. The Task Force also coordinates as necessary with federal, state and local public health agencies to assist with protection of public health.
Specifically, the Task Force provides technical assistance to the MDEQ and the City of Flint to reconnect the Flint system to a new source of drinking water (to be supplied by the Great Lakes Water Authority) and to optimize corrosion control for the Flint system, starting in October 2015. The Task Force provides technical assistance to the MDEQ and the City of Flint, as needed, in advance of and following connection of the Flint water system to a new source of drinking water (to be supplied by the Karegnondi Water Authority) and to optimize corrosion control for the Flint system, starting in 2016.
Flint Safe Drinking Water Task Force Members |
|---|
| Bob Kaplan (Chair), Region 5 Acting Regional Administrator |
| Miguel Del Toral, Region 5 Ground Water Drinking Water Branch Regulations Manager |
| Darren Lytle, Office of Research and Development Scientist |
| Michael Schock, Office of Research and Development Scientist |
| Jeff Kempic, Office of Water Lead and Copper Rule Technical Lead |
| Tim Henry, Region 5 Water Division Deputy Director |
| Tom Poy, Region 5 Ground Water Drinking Water Branch Chief |
Task Force Activities
- May 16, 2016 - Task Force provides recommendation on maintenance of pH in the distribution system.
- April 16, 2016 - Task Force recommends residential flushing protocol.
- March 21, 2016 - Task Force provides recommendations on the City of Flint's Fast Track Plan for Lead Service Line Replacement.
- February 5, 2016 - Task Force provides recommendations on MDEQ's Draft Sentinel Site Selection.
- January 20, 2016 - Task Force provides recommendations that all samples for lead analyses, whether for Lead and Copper Rule compliance assessment or other purpose, be collected using wide-mouth sample bottles.
- January 12, 2016 - Task Force has a conference call with Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha to discuss how we can work together. One item identified and being planned is "lead in water" training for academic/technical/health people involved in Flint.
- January 11, 2016 - Task Force discusses status of the Flint situation with the FEMA liaison in Flint and how the Task Force can better coordinate with the State of Michigan's Emergency Operations Center.
- January 8, 2016 - Task Force has secured funding for the construction of a lead pipe rig system that will be used to evaluate lead corrosion control strategies and predict lead release in response to future water quality and treatment changes in Flint. The pipe rig system is a critical diagnostic tool and will be constructed in-house by Task Force members in EPA's Office of Research and Development.
- January 7, 2016 - Task Force strongly recommends to Flint not to use excavation as a way to verify the presence of lead service lines as indicated in the Flint incident Action Plan. Physical disturbances can result in prolonged release of pipe scale and sediment with high lead content which can result in a significant increase in lead exposure risk to residents.
- December 16, 2015 - Task Force provides recommendations that Flint develop and implement a Performance Assessment Plan prior to distribution of water from the Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA) source.
- December 4, 2015 - Task Force provides comments on Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' "Draft Protocol for Collecting Residential Drinking Water Samples for Lead Analysis".
- November 25, 2015 - Task Force provides MDEQ with a Draft "Preliminary Assessment of Optimization and Maintenance of Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment" (revised on December 22, 2015, and retitled to "Lead in Drinking Water - Preliminary Assessment"), which documents the activities necessary to enable EPA to provide advice and support to Flint in optimizing and maintaining corrosion control treatment under current water quality conditions and during the transition to the Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA) pipeline.
- November 23, 2015 - Task Force provides comments on Flint's "Residential Drinking Water Lead & Copper Sampling Instructions".
- November 10, 2015 – Task Force meets in Flint with Rep. Kildee and City of Flint officials to discuss technical issues with optimization of corrosion control.
- October 30, 2015 – Task Force provides MDEQ with technical comments on Flint Corrosion Control Permit and cover letter.
- October 23-24, 2015 – Task Force provides MDEQ with technical comments on Flint Corrosion Control Plan.
- October 21, 2015 – Task Force provides MDEQ with technical comments on Draft School Sampling Protocol.