A judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit against an engineering company in Flint.
Veolia North America is accused of not doing enough to stop the flow of lead-contaminated water in 2015.
Four families are suing Veolia. The company did not participate in the recent $626 million settlement with Flint residents, mostly paid by the state.
Federal Judge Judith Levy says Veolia owed residents a "legal duty of care" when Flint hired it to analyze the city's water quality. Veolia argued that it included corrosion control in recommendations to the city. It says it had a short-term assignment that focused on problems created by a cancer-causing contaminant.