A $25 million low-cost loan program has been given to Flint city. These funds will be used to remove residential lead pipes in the area according to Mayor Karen Weaver.
The provider of the loan will be the Union Labor Life Insurance Co. which is a union-owned asset manager. According to Click on Detroit, the project was put together by the American Federation of Teachers and the ULLICO. This will help Weaver move forward on her Fast Start Initiative to remove all lead-containing pipes from residential homes in Flint.
This loan was said to be a source of funds while waiting for the money from the state and the federal government to be released to further upgrade Flint's water infrastructure. The Clinton Global initiative is committed to create a national fund to invest on infrastructures in cities throughout America.
As reported by CNN, the initiative is aimed at removing and replacing residential lead pipes in homes that are included in the risk group such as pregnant women, children that are 5 years and younger, senior citizens and people with low immune systems as well as homes that tested high in lead water content.
According to Weaver, the people of Flint have been waiting for this action from the government for a long time. She was pleased that on March 4, the very first lead pipe was pulled out and replaced. She added that she is very grateful to ULLICO and AFT for creating this idea made at the Clinton Global Initiative to be put in action in their community as per Detroit News.
The mayor has further called on the legislature to act quickly to approve the $25 million funding for the first phase of the program. Weaver said that this project is a very big help for the entire city. She adds that everybody deserves clean, quality water and that's what they are aiming to do.
