EPIC Featured: High costs, few customers: Benton Harbor water woes loom for Michigan cities
Sri Vedachalam was interviewed by Bridge Michigan on the benefits and challenges of consolidation of water systems. The article profiles the city of Benton Harbor, Michigan which is experiencing a lead crisis on top of an affordability challenge. EPIC is currently working with Benton Harbor to assist the city in mapping, inventorying, and eventual replacement of lead service lines.
“While consolidation has its downsides, said Sri Vedachalam, director of water equity for the Environmental Policy Innovation Center, continuing to operate deficient systems is unjust to customers.
“When systems are not meeting their standards,” he said, “people are getting contaminated water.””