Welcome to politically speaking.

I'm Elizabeth Bennion, professor of political science and founding director of IU South Bend's American Democracy Project.

It's been eight years since the beginning of the Flint water crisis, bringing much attention to the state of Michigan and its water infrastructure.

In May 2018, a grant to replace the lead water lines was offered to cities including Benton Harbor.

That summer, water testing confirmed lead contamination.

This marked the beginning of a long journey for clean water in the city of Benton Harbor.

Joining us to discuss the Benton Harbor water crisis is Mayor Marcus Muhammad.

Welcome and thank you for being here.

Thank you for having me.

I want to start by asking a little bit about when Benton Harbor really found itself in this water crisis.

How did this come to the attention of the city and city leaders?

So when I became the mayor of the city of Benton Harbor in 2016, I attended a conference at the University of Illinois, Chicago, a year later, and title on untroubling the waters and in so doing, I pulled the water quality report from 2015.

And at that particular time, there was not an issue of lead.

In fact, there were two homes that tested about 50 parts per billion, and the determining cause was plumbing inside the home.

But the overall percentile were below the federal threshold.

So in 2018, when we began testing after the law changed under Governor Snyder, as he was out going, this is what we found, that out of 30 homes that were tested at that time, eight homes exceeded the 15 parts per billion.

And that's what triggered and what started the process of the city of Benton Harbor testing.

And as we went down that journey, we exceeded the limit every consecutive year, which triggered another layer to the law, which is where we became a L city, and higher action had to be taken.

Now, you mentioned higher action being taken.

Can you talk a little bit about that process and those steps that were taken?

So the city had been harbor assigned a administrative consent order with Eagle in 2018.

It was signed would be the name was changed under the Whitmer administration to egle and that agreement was revised and signed again.

And this was an effort to not only address the lead service issue, but upgrade our water distribution system and filtration plant because it's all interconnected on many different levels.

So in becoming a L city, after three years of consecutive testing that exceeds the federal limit, this is when the state of Michigan intervenes, as Governor Whitmer so did, and tries to help that community to eradicate or address the issue of late.

There were things done during that period working with Eagle, but at the end of it all, it was money and it was a recent article in the Herald Palladium and my that detail of that where we started with 284,000 and then we applied for 5.15 million from the EPA and we see 5.6 million.

We also took out a low interest loan with the state revolving funds in order to have our water tower redone, upgrade our water filtration plant all water mains were placed and a part of that we were able to have 150 homes, had their land service lines replaced.

So as we tested and identified homes, we were working to procure funding so we could swap out both of the water lines.

And then eventually, Governor Whitmer, after we exceeded a certain point working with the state legislator, 45 million was allocated for the city of Benton Harbor.

But we do have good news.

We are 95% complete at this time, and we expect to be 100% complete by Thanksgiving.

That is good news.

And it sounds like then the resources are a combination of sources, including local, state and federal dollars.

Whereas the critical component of this story, the American city, is not what it was at one time.

The city of Benton Harbor had 20 to 25000 residents.

It was a booming economy, from retail to home ownership, commercial development, etc.

The largest fruit market in the country.

We no longer have that with manufacturing and many other changes over the years.

We're lucky to have 10,000 residents and after Emergency Management prior to emergency management, the city of Benton Harbor is pumping up to 5 million gallons of water per day.

But the emergency manager came here and he separate contracts.

We lost the contract at his direction with Whirlpool Corporation, the global headquarters, which was our largest water customer.

He severed the contract with the township, who has a home ownership three times out of been harbor and also a commercial base of water customers that we lost by losing the township.

We also lost Saint Joseph Township.

So now we're only pumping a little over a million gallons of water per day.

So in losing a customer base, losing revenue, that impacts your ability to maintain, improve and upgrade the overall system.

So we have had to find some very creative ways in order to address the issues that would not go away without funding.

So as you think about it now, you said you're almost fully complete and you think about the response and the timeline of that response.

What would be your overall assessment?

I think things are moving in the- in the right direction.

There was an article where a homeowner who has a homeless 90 years old and the line was removed.

One of the good things we have is the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

They're leaning in and providing the clean home initiative, but now they're testing the homes from there.

And we're finding that a lot of the homes have steel pipes, lead pipes.

The pay is contaminated with lead in the windows.

Some of the doors need to be changed.

But more good news.

Up to $10,000 can be allocated to help homes that are contaminated on the inside that let it be removed.

So there's a lot of work to do and we're committed to do it.

What do you say to people who say, well, if that lead has always been there for 90 years, why bother to do anything now?

How do you talk to them about the seriousness of mitigation?

Well, this the devastating effects of late, of course, health officials, which I'm not a health official, but science and studies would show the debilitating effects and it has all brain and especially on children.

And furthermore, the law of the state of Michigan has changed, where municipalities are responsible for changing lead service lines, where prior to 2018 that responsibility was on the homeowner.

So communities like the city of Benton Harbor, who has been strapped financially.

In fact, you just brought in emergency management, as I mentioned, in 2017.

So when we received the news in 2018 and a $40 million bill, you know, it was something that really blew us back.

However, we took the challenge to address the problem, not play the blame game, because nobody wins that contest.

And I'm happy to say that we are near completion now.

Kalamazoo, Muskegon Heights, Owosso, also Ionia, Marysville and Saint Louis have been cities with lead contamination.

As you think about the current condition of Michigan's water infrastructure more generally.

How would you characterize it?

Well, according to a report by the America's Society of Civil Engineers, the United States was given a grade of C minus for the drinking water, and the state of Michigan was given a grade of D-minus.

So it's an issue that is going to the old adage, look who's coming to dinner, got to be showing up at the doorstep of municipalities.

However, we're the city of Benton Harbor.

Our doors open, and my phone is 24 seven 365, where I'm willing to tell and share our story with other municipalities of how working with state and federal officials, agencies, how when you work together, we can solve 95% of our problems.

But if we are sat down and partizan politics and party and you know, those types of things that are divisive and keep communities from moving forward, a lot of people will be left behind.

Have you seen a willingness among public officials to come together on this issue, recognizing the public health effects?

And have you been in conversation with mayors of other communities, both Democratic and Republican?

Well, in Benton Harbor case, there was swift action, which I have to commend Governor Whitmer.

This is my third governor that I've worked with.

So I'm not a neophyte in politics.

And by far and this is no political ad or endorsement and this is just facts.

She put her money where her mouth is.

And she was our the state legislator, which is Republican led and they helped Benton Harbor.

So you know, I am grateful.

I met briefly with Senator Shirkey, who's the Senate majority leader.

I met with the chairman of Appropriation, who's a Republican.

And we discussed the problem and they provided the solution.

So Benton Harbor is just a testimony that when party politics is set aside, problems get solved on the ground for real people.

Now, you mentioned the findings in 2018 and the fact that it's almost complete here in 2022.

Sometimes members of the public say, why doesn't this happen instantly?

Can you talk a little bit about why it took a number of years to move through these phases of mitigation and to address the project and the problem?

Well, there's there's steps, there's a process to apply for funds to be awarded the funds and to receive the funds.

So we applied in 2019 for the EPA funding, and we didn't receive it until July of 2021.

We didn't receive that 3 million from the Booker funds until December of 2021.

So the wheels of government, you know, it's not like a microwave where it's instant.

It doesn't work like that.

So for those who say, well, why did it take so long?

You know, another thing is, in Ben Harbor, it was different from Flint.

You know, it was not the water source.

It was the water lines going into homes.

And in some cases, the contamination was in the home as well as in the lead lines moving forward.

So there's an investigative process that has to take place.

We found that it was not every home that had the problem.

But, you know, as Dr. Mona from Flint shared with me when I met with the Flint team was that it has to be treated like a fire call where you might have 10 false calls but if you ignore that one call, that's real, then you can lose a family or a life.

So that's why an abundance of caution was used.

Over 1.5 million bottles of water have been distributed since last year, and that's out of caution to every home.

And we've had a delivery system.

We've had a system where they can pick it up, where we've exhausted all options, where people are getting clean, safe drinking water while we go about removing the let lines and removing land from homes.

So it is not a abracadabra.

I would tell any city, any mayor is not Flint have been at this for six years and just reached 95% cause they're much bigger.

But, you know, we learn from Flint and Governor Whitmer was in the state legislator during the time of Flint, and she was able to glean and pour from that situation.

And when you're at the top and the buck stops with you, she had swift action and here we are.

Taking care of those short term and longer term solutions.

I wonder if you could talk a little bit about how community organizations like the Benton Harbor Community Water Council or others got involved.

What was the role of the community in delivering and thinking about solutions?

Well, you had water groups that were involved in Flint that were behind a lot of the activism.

Knowing that, I think they said it is 4.6 million lead lines roughly in the state of Michigan.

And, you know, they happened to be in areas where you have large populations of black people.

So I think that there were persons who were aware in Harbor was charter or in 1921, founded in 1865.

So, you know, this is a problem that I think people knew that not if but when and they work when they've been out of water council and they put pressure and, you know, engaged government.

So they certainly had a role in this process.

But the thing about it is, you know, they were not ignored, although some may have a different opinion about that.

But if you look at the record and what happened in Newark, New Jersey, if you look at what happened in Flint, if you look at what's happened in other places, I spoke with the mayor of Hamtramck last year and some of the council people this year, and they are working to have this issue address.

Spoke with the mayor Eastpointe city manager today and they are trying to find funding and address the problem within the law where 7% per year that has to be changed.

So there's a lot of moving parts.

Suffice it to say, and, you know, we're engaged and we're happy that we're at the end of it, at least on a lead service line aside and happy again to share our story with whomever is interested.

Now, you mentioned the 95% mark.

The National Natural Resources Defense Council put out a similar number saying 95% have been replaced in terms of those pipes.

As you think about that process, just to help viewers understand who was involved in that, what what does it take to do something like that, to really replace that many pipes in that much of your infrastructure?

Well, Governor, what we signed a executive director where every agency that was applicable was to be at the exposure of the city to help in any way possible.

So I spoke with the director of Procurement of Contracts for the State of Michigan after a conversation with the lieutenant governor, who arranged it and he supported and helped Benton Harbor.

Obviously, the state of Michigan has a multitude of contractors at their disposal, and we worked with them.

Local contractors who were qualified were able to participate, but local contractors were sent in from the state of Michigan to and I say deploy because it certainly was operation and they attacked it from every angle.

Did local contractors feel like they had a good shot of getting on that list?

I know that's an issue in most cities about whether or not they have an opportunity to be involved and to get those jobs.

Is that something that was discussed and was there, you know, broad discussion in the community about how to get some of those contracts into sort of local and to local hands?

We've always worked with contractors to include locals, whether it be subcontracting or in work.

There is a challenge here to have minority contractors, you know, either bonding or insurance.

And this is something that's across the board nationally.

However, we construction, which is a local contract or BNC, who's a local contractor, one black, one white.

And you also had the other four that were from across the state.

But one of the unique thing they did was they hired residents of Benton Harbor whether that was to go around and have the consent form signed, whether that was to go around and pass on information as it relates to education for residents and homeowners, any and every place where they could work, we made sure that those contractors were friendly to that goal and it was without any resistance.

So 33% that of those that worked on this project were locals.

Now, of course, we would like it to be higher, you know, but the reality of it and as many told me, said, Mayor, one thing that I want you to leave with you say do this right the first time because he inherited what was before him and he had to clean some things up and he said it's better to first time around.

Now, what advice would you give other communities that are struggling with similar issues in terms of how they get moving in addressing the issue of clean water?

Well, one of the steps I did, I reached out to my local congressman, Congressman Upton, and that's where the EPA money, federal money came.

That's where the Booker funds came to work with the state agencies, which is where Egle came here.

And, of course, work with your governor and her staff, which have been really municipal friendly, where they have been and I won't say backing call, but when I pick up the phone, I speak with our urban affairs or deputy chief of staff or the lieutenant governor and even her for that matter.

Of course, I don't abuse or, you know, I stay within the chain of command and it's been very helpful, but engaging every level.

Hold everyone accountable, but starting with yourself and you can accomplish the goal.

Unfortunately, that's all the time we have for this week.

Thanks so much for tuning in.

I'm your host, Elizabeth Bennion and reminding you that it takes all of us to make democracy This WNIT local production has been made possible in part by viewers like you.

Thank you.