In 2018, Musk gave $480,350 for Flint school filters; students drink from fountains

In 2018, Elon Musk donated $480,350 for Flint school water filters; four years later, redesigned systems allowed students to drink from fountains again after years of relying on alternative supplies

For four years, students at Flint Community Schools relied on bottled and delivered water instead of drinking directly from school fountains. That is now changing after new ultraviolet water filtration systems were installed and tested across the district.

The project dates back to 2018, when Elon Musk donated $480,350 to help install water filtration stations following the Flint water crisis. The upgraded systems are designed to remove lead, bacteria and other metals from water before it reaches students. District officials say testing found no detectable lead or harmful bacteria after filtration, allowing the drinking stations to be used again.

How the new water filters work

A total of 130 filtration stations have been installed across Flint's 11 schools and administration building.The systems use three stages of filtration. Water first passes through an activated carbon filter designed to remove lead, copper and other particles. It then goes through an ultrafilter to remove most bacteria. Finally, ultraviolet light is used to kill remaining bacteria and viruses.Testing found lead levels before filtration varied by school. The highest average was 219 parts per billion (ppb) at Accelerated Learning Academy, while one test at Scott Elementary recorded 620 ppb.

The US Environmental Protection Agency's recommended action level is 15 ppb.After filtration, tests found no detectable lead or harmful bacteria at the tested sites.

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Why did the project take four years

The stations were installed during the 2019-20 school year, but researchers found problems with the original filters during testing. The systems produced inconsistent results and were not certified to meet National Sanitation Foundation standards.Researchers later redesigned the systems and began testing new units in 2021.Superintendent Kevelin Jones said students can now drink from the hydration stations, but the district will continue providing bottled water for the rest of the school year as some families may still have concerns.The district also plans regular testing and filter replacements to monitor water quality.