FLINT, MI -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency isn't alone in its worries about the city's long-term ability to manage its water system.
A top Michigan Department of Environmental Quality official has told the EPA he also has concerns about "long-term, technical, managerial and financial capacity" to handle the responsibility.
"The city faces numerous challenges in staffing its limited water treatment plant," Eric Oswald, DEQ's Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance Division director, told the EPA in a Dec. 20 letter.
"As you know, the aging nature of their infrastructure, along with a general negative reputation, make it even more difficult to attract qualified candidates to Flint."
The letter was posted to the state's Web site Monday, Jan. 8, and concludes, "we are confident that, working hand in hand with EPA Region 5, the city of Flint, and our associated contract partners, will succeed in ensuring the city ... can provide its people with a safe and reliable source of drinking water for decades to come."
EPA raised what it called "continued and significant concerns" last year that too few people were working in Flint's water system and asked for a plan "to ensure ... the necessary, capable and qualified personnel" are hired.
A part of that plan involved an existing employee transitioning into the job of operator in charge of the city water plant, a position that requires an F-1 state license.
Public water systems in Michigan that serve populations of more than 20,000 are required to have such a licensed operator on staff.
In his December letter, Oswald told Christopher Koreleski, director of EPA's Water Division, that the state has notified city officials that they must either hire a full-time operator in charge ... or contract for a "permanent/full-time" operator by June 30.
Both Kristin Moore, a city spokeswoman, and Tiffany Brown, a DEQ spokeswoman, said the effort to use an existing employee as operator in charge of the water plant failed because the employee the city planned to use failed a certification exam.
"The individual will take the exam again the next time it is offered in May 2018," Brown said in an email to The Journal. "MDEQ will continue to work with the city to assure appropriate expertise and certifications are in place for the operators of the water treatment plant."
Flint is currently using a contractor to fill water system positions including operator in charge, "but will be required to establish a more permanent arrangement with either a long-term, more robust contract or by hiring their own OIC no later than June," Brown's statement says.
Mayor Karen Weaver has taken step to fill positions within the water system, which is a part of the Department of Public Works.
She announced new DPW Director Rob Bincsik in October, and city officials have said since that they are in the process of filling multiple vacant positions..
The city extended a month-to-month contract with F&V Operations to provide laboratory services at the plant, and a resolution approved by the City Council said the contract was necessary because the city was unable to secure permanent staff to fill the positions.
Flint has struggled with water system staffing since before the city's water crisis unfolded, state and federal officials have said.
It has been slow to recover since.
Last May, Jolisa McDay resigned as DPW director after the EPA faulted the city for running out of chlorine tablets used to treat water for various bacteria.
In July, a water plant employee warned his supervisors in a written report that a lack of knowledge and potential burnout among water system employees were contributing to mistakes at the city's water treatment plant.