All of Flint's water distribution centers will remain open, at least for another month

All nine state water distribution sites will remain open for at least another month in Flint.

A settlement of a lawsuit gave the state the option to close two of the sites starting in May.

But Mission Flint spokeswoman Tiffany Brown says the number of people picking up cases of bottled water at each of the sites is still high enough to warrant keeping them open.

Brown says Flint residents would receive plenty of notice if the decision to close one or more the sites is made. 

“It wouldn’t be … a light switch. It wouldn’t just turn off. It would be more like a dimmer,” says Brown, “So there would be a process moving forward.”

Many people in Flint have come to rely on the water distribution centers since high levels of lead were discovered in the city’s tap water. On a daily basis, the centers distribute 14,507 cases of bottled water. 

The state is encouraging Flint residents to rely on filters rather than bottled water.