"ST. LOUIS — The filters distributed in Benton Harbor, Michigan during the city’s recent lead water crisis worked properly, according to a study state officials said was conducted to give residents assurance.

Michigan officials said the study was done “out of an abundance of caution” after residents and advocates in Benton Harbor slammed the state’s slow response to the city’s lead problem and requested more aggressive actions — including a study of the filters.

“We found that properly operated filters were successful in reducing lead considerably and consistently,” said Tera Fong, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s water division director for the region that includes Michigan.

But Fong noted the agency also found the filters were not being used properly in many cases, and that public outreach could help address the problem."

Michael Phillis reports for the Associated Press March 3, 2022. [2]