Flint mayor doesn't trust water quality; wants bill credits back

FLINT, Mich. (WJBK) - Flint Mayor Karen Weaver is renewing her call for continued help from the state while the city recovers from the lead water crisis - and she is not convinced the water is safe.

On Monday, Weaver was hoping to set the record straight that she did not mislead the community about the loss of water credits that came from the state.

"I think we deserve the credits until the water is tap drinkable without a filter," she said.

Weaver has been blasting the governor for taking away water credits. The state has stopped 65 percent discounts on water bills to Flint water customers the mayor thought would be guaranteed to at least before June or until the water was "tap drinkable without a filter."

"This is a trust issue," she said. "State officials always say one thing and then do another. That has always been one of my concerns and that of the community as well."

Yet, state officials say that the mayor was given notice that the water credits would stop.  Weaver said she did not receive notice until Feb. 7.

"This was a meeting where the Governor's chief advisor Rich Baird used the phrase "We asked what good water means” because we wanted it more than the federal standards are required," she said. "We wanted tap drinkable water without a filter."

Last week, the mayor said that she would ask the EPA to test the water to make sure that Flint water is truly drinkable without a filter.

Weaver says it is not.

"The infrastructure in people's homes have been ruined," she said. "It is not safe. We are removing lead service lines so we've got to use filters because of an action that was done to us by them."

The mayor wants to stop the infighting she perceives is going on in Flint and focus on the big picture- which she says is:

"Tap drinkable water without a filter."