Is Flint, MI tap water safe?
Data: U.S. EPA · How we read the data · How we check it
Summary
No federal limits exceeded in EPA data for City of Flint.
3 public water systems serve parts of Flint. The largest, City of Flint, serves 81,252 people. Your water bill names your system.
Largest system
City of Flint
81,252 people · Purchased surface water · EPA ID MI0002310
Buys treated water from Great Lakes Water Authority, Genesee County Water System.
| PFAS | Highest average | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| PFOA Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFOS Not detected | – | 4 ppt |
| PFHxS Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| PFNA Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) Not detected | – | 10 ppt |
ppt = parts per trillion. "Highest average" is the highest average at any of the system's entry points, the way EPA compares results with the limits.
Lead: 3 ppb at the 90th percentile (Jun 2026, and 9 in 10 homes sampled were at or below it) Below action level
Health-based violations since 2016: 1
Across Michigan, 5 of 311 water systems EPA tested had PFAS above a 2024 federal limit, and 26 systems were above the lead action level in results from the last five years. Michigan results.
Flint homes and lead pipes
Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so homes from before then are the ones to check. Renting? Ask your landlord what the service line is made of, because it's their pipe to replace. How to check your own line.
Housing: Census American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for Flint city (tables B25034, B25003). Estimates for small places have a margin of error.
Which system serves your ZIP code
Based on the ZIP codes each system reported serving. Boundaries don't follow ZIP lines exactly, so your water bill is the final word.
| System | ZIP codes in Flint |
|---|---|
| Genesee County Water System 73,726 people | 48502, 48503, 48504, 48507 |
| City of Flint 81,252 people | 48505, 48506 |
Other water systems serving Flint
- Genesee County Water System73,726 people · Purchased surface water · Michigan · reported ZIPs hereNo PFAS above limitsAlso: 1 health-based violation since 2016
- Beecher Metropolitan District9,400 people · Groundwater · Michigan · reported ZIPs hereLithium above screening level
How nearby cities compare
| City | PFAS | Lead (90th pct.) |
|---|---|---|
| Flint charter 4 mi Genesee County Water System | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Burton 4 mi City of Burton | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Grand Blanc charter 8 mi Genesee County Water System | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| Independence charter 24 mi Orion Township Water System | None above limits | 0 ppb |
| White Lake charter 27 mi White Lake Township Water System | None above limits | 3 ppb |
| Orion charter 28 mi Orion Township Water System | None above limits | 0 ppb |
Questions
Is Flint tap water safe to drink?
City of Flint had 1 health-based violation since 2016. Utility data can't show lead from your own pipes: if your home was built before 1986, test your tap. Your utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report is the official summary.
Who supplies water in Flint, MI?
3 public water systems serve parts of Flint. The largest is City of Flint (81,252 people). Your water bill names your system. The EPA ID is also on your utility's Consumer Confidence Report.
Does Flint tap water have PFAS?
None detected above EPA's reporting limits. City of Flint had no PFAS detected in EPA's 2023–2025 testing. "Not detected" means below the reporting limit (about 2 to 20 ppt), not proven zero.
Do Flint homes have lead pipes?
Census estimates put 94% of Flint homes as built before 1980 (Michigan: 62%). Lead service lines and lead solder were allowed until 1986, so older homes are more likely to have them. City of Flint's service line inventory says what your line is made of. The only way to know for your home is to check the line where it enters the house and test your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA drinking water records and PFAS testing (UCMR 5). How we read the data.