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Flint FAST Start official on lead pipe replacement, federal funding

View of the Flint river
Maria Palmo
/
WKAR-MSU
The Flint River.

Work continues in Flint as crews replace lead-tainted pipes that supply water to hundreds of homes. We talk with retired Brigadier General Mike McDaniel, the man tapped to coordinate Flint’s FAST Start program.

The city of Flint continues to make progress in its ongoing effort to restore drinking water to healthy levels. The city is in the midst of a huge campaign to replace thousands of lead service lines that supply water to businesses and residents. It’s a big job that requires a lot of time and money.

A state panel oversees this work in Flint. Michael McDaniel is a retired Army brigadier general serving on the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee. Gen. McDaniel once served as homeland security advisor to former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. He’s also known for leading a community investigation into the actions of the Lansing Board of Water and Light following a historic winter storm in 2013.

Today, Gen. McDaniel coordinates the FAST Start program, the lead service line replacement effort in Flint. We get an update on the program.

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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