Michigan governor plans stricter lead-test rules after Flint

Gov. Rick Snyder said Monday he wants Flint and the entire state to have more stringent lead-level regulations than what federal rules require, in the wake of the city’s water contamination.

In the long term Michigan will comply with a “much higher standard,” according to a state document laying out the next steps in Flint in four areas — water supply and infrastructure, health and human services, education, and economic development.

Under U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules, a water system must take steps to control corrosion if lead concentrations exceed 15 parts per billion in more than 10 percent of customer taps sampled.

Goals in the outline Monday that already have been completed include offering children under age 6 with high blood-lead levels support and case management, distributing water instruction flyers in other languages and getting a team in place to help with economic development.

Many tasks are unfinished, including replacing thousands of lead pipes running from water mains to houses and businesses, with swapping out faucets and fixtures in schools, day care centers and other public facilities.