Editing Benton Harbor, Michigan (section)

===Water state of emergency===

As with the 2014–2019 [[Flint water crisis|public health crisis]] involving the [[drinking water]] in [[Flint, Michigan|Flint]], in 2018 higher-than-acceptable levels of [[lead]] were found in Benton Harbor's [[tap water]].<ref name="HP201210">{{cite news |last1=Wrege |first1=Louise |title=Benton Harbor, state officials order urgent response to lead crisis: Michigan to help city replace lead water lines over 18 months |url=https://www.heraldpalladium.com/communities/benton_harbor/benton-harbor-state-officials-order-urgent-response-to-lead-crisis/article_1a9b29c2-7985-588b-a742-c545302bbe16.html |access-date=October 16, 2021 |work=The Herald-Palladium |date=October 14, 2021}}</ref> Water was starting to appear "bubbly and white" to "brown", with a "horrible" taste and poor smell.<ref name="Guard202109">{{cite news |last1=Lutz |first1=Eric |last2=McCormick |first2=Erin |title=A Black town's water is more poisoned than Flint's. In a white town nearby, it's clean |url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/sep/21/benton-harbor-michigan-lead-water-poisoned |access-date=October 16, 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=September 21, 2021}}</ref> This was due to lead-based water service lines.<ref name="HP201210" /> Testing found the samples returned lead levels of 22 parts per billion, greater than the 20 parts per billion in [[Flint, Michigan|Flint]] and the federal lead action level of 15 parts per billion.<ref name="Guard202109" /><ref name=BentonPW>{{cite web |title=Benton Harbor Public Works, Water Plant and Distribution, Sanitary Sewer, and Storm Water |url=https://bhcity.us/water/ |website=City of Benton Harbor |access-date=October 16, 2021}}</ref> High levels of copper were also noted in the annual [[Drinking water quality in the United States#Consumer Confidence Reports|consumer confidence reports]] that have been required by [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]].<ref name=BentonPW />

Concerns were with the health impacts of [[lead poisoning]].<ref name="Berrien202110">{{cite web |title=Lead action level exceedance in the City of Benton Harbor |url=http://www.berriencounty.org/1599/City-of-Benton-Harbor |website=Berrien County Health Department |access-date=October 16, 2021 |date=October 1, 2021}}</ref> As a result, residents were supplied with free [[bottled water]], including for use with brushing teeth and cooking, for residences and schools.<ref name="Berrien202110" /><ref name="HP201210" /><ref name="Guard202109" /> In September 2021, $10 million was budgeted to replace the lead service lines.<ref name="HP201210" /> All lead pipes had been replaced by December 1, 2023, per the [[Michigan Department of Health and Human Services]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Staff|title=All lead water service lines replaced in Benton Harbor|url=https://www.wndu.com/2023/12/01/all-lead-water-service-lines-replaced-benton-harbor/|publisher=[[WNDU-TV]]|date=December 1, 2023|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref>