EPA officials issued a letter saying they are worried about Flint’s neglect to stock enough chlorine tablets to treat the city’s water.
In a letter stamped July 19, EPA officials said the City of Flint ran out of chlorine tablets which help treat water for various bacteria.
“We were very concerned to learn that on Friday. July 16 the City ran out of chlorine tablets for the pellet chlorinators, resulting in an additional chlorination being available at either of Flint’s reservoirs,” said the letter. It went on to say that after EPA officials contacted Flint, City officials did “take steps to increase chlorine addition at the plant and to obtain chlorine pellets on an emergency basis.”
City of Flint Interim Utilities Director, JoLisa McDay said, “the facility always maintained supplies of chlorine on site to be administered to drinking water as needed.”
A statement issued by Flint Spokeswoman, Kristin Moore, also said the city had other things in place outside of chlorine tablets if needed.
“While there may not have been chlorine tablets on hand..there was always bleach on hand in liquid form that could be administered if needed,” said Moore. “Therefore, there was no danger present to public health..There was no lapse in operation for the chlorine system at the (water treatment plant.)”