Elon Musk promises to fund fix for Flint water contamination

The executive plans to install water filters at any home that has water contamination above government-recommended limits.

After spending last week developing a rescue pod for children trapped in a Thai cave, Tesla chief Elon Musk has turned his sights to the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan.

Please consider this a commitment that I will fund fixing the water in any house in Flint that has water contamination above FDA levels. No kidding.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 11, 2018

The city is still dealing with the consequences of a 2014 switch of its drinking water source from Lake Huron and the Detroit River to the Flint River. Officials did not add corrosion inhibitors to the new water source, causing lead to leach from old pipes and enter the water supply.

Lead measurements from Flint's water supply now average below the federal threshold for lead, with 90 percent of samples at or below eight parts per billion as of March 2017. A fraction of local homes may still be above recommended limits, however, more than four years after the crisis began.

You're right on both counts. Most houses in Flint have safe water, but they've lost faith in govt test results. Some houses are still outliers. Will organize a weekend in Flint to add filters to those houses with issues & hopefully fix perception of those that are actually good.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 11, 2018

Musk has asked for ppm/ppb tests for individual homes, promising to install filters at any location that still has contaminant levels above government recommended thresholds. The ambitious executive has proposed a "barnstorming weekend" to install water filters, perhaps using non-plumber volunteers and inspections/approval by professionals.

The mayor of Flint, Karen Weaver, has scheduled a phone call with Musk today to discuss further details of the plan.