Officials in Benton Harbor, Michigan, announced a state of emergency this week in a bid to ensure that lead pipes contaminating the city's water supply are replaced more quickly.
The City Commission voted on Monday to enact the state of emergency. Mayor Marcus Muhammad said he will be the presiding officer dealing with the emergency -- in coordination with state and local leaders.
"Our work will build on the executive directive I signed last week to pursue an all-hands-on-deck approach to protect access to safe drinking water right now and make lasting investments in water infrastructure," Whitmer said Tuesday. She also asked that federal funding be allocated to Michigan under the American Rescue Plan. The state estimates it will cost approximately $30 million to replace all the lead pipes in Benton Harbor, according to the governor's office.