Benton Harbor released from EPA order to fix drinking water system

Apr 27, 2023

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday released the city of Benton Harbor from a November 2021 order to fix problems with its drinking water safety procedures to protect residents from exposure to lead.

The order initially came less than two months after a federal and state inspection of the city's drinking water system found violations and deficiencies in September 2021. Benton Harbor residents and environmental and civil rights groups had filed an emergency petition for intervention by the EPA two months before the order was issued. The city had exceeded the federal lead action standard of 15 parts per billion for three straight years.

EPA officials said they have since conducted three inspections to ensure that the southwest Michigan city's water system complies with the Safe Drinking Water Act.

"We are pleased that the city has taken action as directed by EPA to protect public health and ensure this crucial access," EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore said in a statement. "Today's action recognizes the important progress in the community to reduce exposure to lead and better protect the city's drinking water system from harmful pollution and hazards."

Lead levels in the city's drinking water were first found to exceed state and federal action standards in 2018. The EPA identified deficiencies in the city's water system and criticized officials for a lack of records, insufficient public notice on elevated lead levels and a need to improve its corrosion control formula and better monitor residual disinfectants in the water.

During the past three half-year samplings, Benton Harbor's lead levels have since declined below the federal action — the level that is considered dangerous enough to public health that corrective actions need to be taken. The latest reading in the first half of 2022 was 8 ppb, according to the state of Michigan.

Officials first tried treating the city's lead water lines with a corrosion chemical blend that failed to control harmful lead levels in the drinking water. This method was criticized as ineffective by water quality specialists. Residents of the majority Black city of nearly 10,000 people were also given water filters but lacked proper instruction on how to install and maintain them. An EPA study of 200 homes showed that the filters were effective at reducing lead in drinking water, but only when used properly.

The EPA's efforts to ensure Benton Harbor residents have access to safe drinking water include awarding the city a $5.6 million federal grant to conduct a corrosion control study and replace its lead service lines in addition to $800,000 in community grants to improve its public water system.

The EPA had previously recommended that all of Benton Harbor should use bottled water while officials fixed the lead levels in tap water. They supported efforts by the state to keep bottled water available.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued an executive directive in November 2021, ordering all lead service lines in Benton Harbor to be replaced by 2023. All of Benton Harbor's water service lines have since been replaced or verified as non-lead, according to the EPA.

While Benton Harbor has satisfactorily completed all the terms of the 2021 order, it must continue to comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act requirements, the EPA said. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will continue to monitor this compliance.

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