Officials: Flint water efforts remain after declaration ends

(AP) — Federal, state and local officials said Wednesday that they will remain committed to fixing Flint's drinking water system after a federal emergency declaration over the city's lead crisis expires this month.

The declaration ends Aug 14, after which the state will bear the full cost of bottled water, filters and other water supplies being given to residents in the wake of tests that showed elevated levels of lead in the blood of some local children.

President Barack Obama in January signed an emergency declaration authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide water resources and support to state and local efforts.

State police Capt. Chris Kelenske, the deputy state director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, said Aug. 14 "is just a date on the calendar."

Since January, FEMA has provided millions of gallons of bottled water, more than 243,000 water filter replacement cartridges, and about 50,000 water and pitcher filters.