As of Wednesday, the people of Flint, Mich., have been without clean water for 1,314 days. At least one major hurdle has been passed, however: An agreement has been signed to give the city a permanent water source that is not the Flint River.
The 30-year water contract between the city of Flint and the Great Lakes Water Authority out of Detroit was unanimously approved by the six-member GLWA board on Wednesday, MLive-Flint Journal reports. After being forced by a federal judge to make a decision on the contract, the Flint City Council last week voted 5-4 to approve the contract, too. Wednesday’s vote by the GLWA board was the final step needed to put the agreement into effect.
Wednesday’s contract included amendments made by the Flint City Council that removed language that would have required Flint to pay legal fees if the water authority were sued. Other amendments guarantee Flint a seat and representation on the GLWA board for at least the next four years, $750,000 in estimated water-bill relief for the city of Flint, as well as easier access to the $100 million in federal funds earmarked for replacing the lead service lines in the city.
In addition, there was a request from Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder that the General Motors engine plant be able to resume use of Flint’s water supply. The plant had previously left the city’s water supply in 2014 because the water was too corrosive for its engines.
The city had previously extended a short-term water contract with GLWA that ends Nov. 30.
Looks like this happened just in the nick of time.
Read more at MLive-Flint Journal.