"This emergency is now:" Benton Harbor, Michigan, needs at least $11.4M for lead pipe replacement amid water crisis

Benton Harbor still needs at least $11.4 million to replace all of its lead service lines amid an ongoing lead presence in drinking water, according to Governor Gretchen Whitmer's office. The project's total price tag is $30 million, and it is projected to be completed within 18 months. 

"I cannot imagine the stress that moms and dads in Benton Harbor are under as they emerge from a pandemic, work hard to put food on the table, pay the bills, and face a threat to the health of their children," Whitmer, who visited Benton Harbor on Tuesday, said in a statement. "That's why we will not rest until every parent feels confident to give their kid a glass of water knowing that it is safe."

State protocols require lead service lines to be replaced by water suppliers at a rate of 5 to 7% annually, eventually replacing all lines over 15 to 20 years depending on the community's particular lead level. Various environmental and public advocacy organizations said in a petition filed last month that the city hasn't had its lead pipes replaced in years. The groups said the city has faced a "persistent, widespread, and severe public health crisis" in regard to drinking water since 2018.