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Flint dealing with high lead levels in water

Posted at 6:01 PM, Sep 25, 2015
and last updated 2021-01-14 14:32:14-05

The mayor of Flint says he's talked to state officials about switching the city's water supply due to lead leaching from old pipes.

Mayor Dayne Walling acknowledged Friday there is an "increased risk" of using water from the Flint River. His comments came a day after local doctors said the percentage of children with high lead levels has nearly doubled this year.

Flint is drawing and treating water from the Flint River while a pipeline is built to Lake Huron. But the water is causing lead to leach from old pipes and service lines in many homes.

The mayor says Gov. Rick Snyder has "substantial responsibility" for Flint's water. When asked by The Flint Journal, Snyder spokesman Dave Murray declined to address whether connecting to Detroit was still an option.