The reliance on plastic bottled water has become a necessity due to the deteriorating water infrastructure and pollution problems in predominantly Black U.S. communities, which have lacked access to clean and reliable tap water for decades.
Benton Harbor hit a major milestone Wednesday, according to city and state leaders who announced that 99 percent of the city's lead lines have been inspected and replaced.
A group of activists, experts, and a local water council demand that regulators be more transparent about whether Benton Harbor’s water plant is meeting drinking water rules.
In October, the state of Michigan committed to removing and replacing all of the lead water lines in the city of Benton Harbor within an 18-month timetable.