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Hundreds of plumbers install free faucets, filters in Flint

Plumber's union sign
Kevin Lavery
/
WKAR
About 400 members of the UA Plumbers and Pipefitters and Service Trades gathered at Local 370 in Flushing Saturday to install plumbing equipment for needy Flint residents free of charge.

The national executive vice-president of the AFL-CIO is coming to Flint this week to rally the troops repairing the city’s water lines. Current State’s Kevin Lavery spends time with three Lansing plumbers as they canvass the city installing faucets and filters for free.

A new state report indicates that Flint residents coping with lead-tainted water could see their water bills double over the next five years. The study comes just a day after Gov. Snyder announced the state of Michigan would reimburse Flint residents for their water usage in May.

Flint is in the midst of a massive water line replacement project. Tomorrow, the national executive vice-president of the AFL-CIO, Tefere Gebre, will meet with area plumbers and apprentices in Flint.

Current State’s Kevin Lavery took a trip to Flint earlier this year. He spent a day with three plumbers from a Lansing labor union, as they installed free faucets and filters in Flint.

Kevin Lavery served as a general assignment reporter and occasional local host for Morning Edition and All Things Considered before retiring in 2023.
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