Virginia Tech researchers are back in Flint this week.
This time they’re focused on the city’s hot water heaters.
Many Flint residents fear lead and other metals leaching from damaged pipes have accumulated in their hot water heaters making bathing hazardous.
For the next few weeks, Virginia Tech researchers will be testing water heaters not only for lead, but also for bacteria, including Legionella.
They’re trying to assess if there is a problem with the quality of the water and evaluating the feasibility of implementing a simple flushing procedure to maximize water quality.
Virginia Tech researchers will also be conducting a third round of tap water testing next month. The last round of testing showed improvement compared the initial tests last summer that drew national attention to Flint’s water crisis.
