HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. – Residents in Highland Park are being urged to get their water tested for lead as soon as possible.
The directive comes after a recent round of tests at 36 homes showed elevated lead levels in nine of them. Out of the 2,500 households that were offered free water testing in June, those 36 took the offer. Now the city is offering free filters and bottled water starting Thursday.
The mayor of Highland Park, Hubert Yopp said he's not going to wait around for more trouble.
"My first impression was to test the entire city, and where we get the money from, I think the state should step up. I look at the Flint situation, and we're not going to repeat that," Yopp said.
Three of the nine homes that came back with high lead levels are being retested. Results are still pending. Residents like Anthony George always suspected there could be trouble, so he wasn't surprised when he heard about the elevated lead levels.
The city's public works director is asking residents to run the water for a few minutes before drinking it.
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If you live in Highland Park and want your tap water tested, call 313-865-1876.