FLINT, MI (AP)-- The federal government says filtered tap water is safe for everyone in Flint, Michigan, lifting a recommendation that pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 6 drink only bottled water to avoid lead exposure.
The announcement Thursday is based on tests of filters that have been distributed for months for free by the state of Michigan and the federal government. The Environmental Protection Agency says the filters remove or reduce lead to well below the action level of 15 parts per billion.
The EPA says samples from high-risk areas in Flint have been coming back at less than 1 part per billion.
Flint used the Flint River as a water source for 18 months, but lead leached from old pipes at homes because the water wasn't treated to control corrosion.
