Snyder drinks filtered Flint water, says he will drink it for month

FLINT, Mich. – Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says he will drink Flint's water for roughly a month to show residents it is safe.

The Republican governor visited a house that had been confirmed to have high levels of lead and left with five gallons of water from a tap with a filter on it.

Snyder said Monday he understands that people have said that if officials say the water is OK, then he should drink it, too. He will get refills from other homes as needed.

"I completely understand why some Flint residents are hesitant to drink the water and I am hopeful I can alleviate some of the skepticism and mistrust by putting words to action," Snyder said in a news release. "Flint residents made it clear that they would like to see me personally drink the water, so today I am fulfilling that request. And I will continue drinking Flint water at work and at home for at least 30 days."

Complete Coverage: Flint Water Crisis

Flint is under a state of emergency after lead from old pipes leached into the supply because the water was not treated properly.

Snyder, who has apologized for his administration's role in the crisis, is urging residents to use filtered water for drinking and cooking.

Guidance for using filters:

The city of Flint, the state, and the EPA are all encouraging residents to use filtered water for drinking and cooking, as the team of experts agrees that data proves it is safe to use filtered water as a primary source of drinking water.

Test results indicate that filters are extremely effective in removing lead from water, even at very high levels.

Residents should be sure to properly maintain these filters to make sure they are operating correctly by replacing used cartridges and only running cold water through the filters.

Flushing instructions:

Step 1: Run cold water at the highest flow in the bathtub for 5 minutes. Do not use the showerhead because it has a lower flow rate.

Step 2: Bypass or remove your filter, then run cold water at the highest flow from the kitchen faucet for 5 minutes. Remember to turn your filter back on or reinstall it when done. EPA testing has shown filters are effective at removing even very high levels of lead.

Step 3: Do this every day for 14 days.

Aerator cleaning:

Residents need to clean the aerators of sink faucets once per week to remove any pieces of lead that may be or may become trapped inside the screen.

Aerators are the small screens which screw inside the opening of a faucet. Their job is to improve water flow and to catch any particles that may be floating loose in a home's pipes.