EPA releases improved Flint water results

Is the Flint water safe to drink with a proper filter? Just last week officials told us in some areas lead levels were higher than a filter could handle.

New test results from the Environmental Protection Agency suggest otherwise. At the mobile command post they are testing the water.

"All children in Flint, age 6 and under, should have their blood leads tested before April 1." said Nicole Lurie, US Department of Health and Human Services.

The city's environmental protection engineers returned from homes with water samples. The samples were  collected from understand eight Flint homes that showed high lead levels last week.

The big story here is the EPA said the lead level removal filters have worked. No lead in each home's water tested except one - and that  home showed only a trace level.

"The good news is that the filters are showing all non-detects in the filtered water," said Mark Durno, EPA environmental engineer. "Where we're still seeing lead is the non-filtered water. Please continue to use the filters and change this out. replace filters before the expiration listed."

Officials say replace the filters before the expiration date that is listed with the filter.

The EPA recommends cleaning the screen at the end of the faucet once a week and added phosphates to line the pipes and keep the lead sealed. While filters appear to be making a big difference, the EPA says it could still be a few weeks before unfiltered water is safe to drink in Flint.

"If you have a child in the house where he water is high," Lurie said. "If you are a pregnant woman in a house where the lead level is high, get your blood tested or your child's blood tested as quickly as possible, and please use bottled water until you know that the level is lower."

The main concern now is for service lines running from the main to Flint homes.