FLINT, MI-- Residents who received a lien notice for unpaid water bills need not worry.

City officials said it was a mistake.

About 7,931 letters were erroneously sent to residents, city spokesperson Candice Mushatt stated in an email.

“A letter was sent out in error,” Mushatt said. “Mayor (Karen) Weaver will not be enforcing water liens, nor will water liens be sent to the county.”

Letters were sent out on Tuesday, April 23 notifying resident with overdue water accounts that “all outstanding balances will be declared delinquent and the lien will be placed against the property on the next tax bill.”

The letter states the overdue amount must be paid by May 31. Residents’ past due accounts don’t reflect payments made since April 22, according to the city’s letter.

Deb Cherry, Genesee County Treasurer, stated she met with Flint officials last week and it was agreed liens wouldn’t be placed on past due water accounts.

“I’m continuing to not take water liens for people who live in their own homes,” Cherry said.

Commercial and rental properties with overdue water accounts will have liens placed on them, however, Cherry said.

In 2018, water liens were placed on residents’ summer 2018 tax roll in an effort to ramp up collections for Flint’s water fund. While the city administers the water liens, the county treasurer’s office hasn’t foreclosed or accepted liens on properties since Flint’s water emergency in 2014.

“The county isn’t willing to take someone’s home away because of a water bill, especially given Flint’s circumstances with the water,” Cherry previously said. “When the mayor declares the water emergency over, then we will treat water liens as tax delinquents.”

The implementation of several collection and restoration programs was spearheaded by Flint’s former Chief Finance Officer Hughey Newsome.

Newsome previously stated he wanted to keep the city’s water fund out of the red. This included extending the trial water fee collection period for 60 days, issuing liens for those who don’t pay their bills and using funds reallocated through the Great Lakes Water Authority’s Water Residential Assistance Program.

According to Mayor Karen Weaver’s proposed $55.6 million budget, Flint’s water fund is predicted to be $10.4 million in the red by fiscal year 2023-2024. The fund will be $4.9 million in the red this year, but the difference will be pulled from the city’s general fund to offset the deficit.

Plans to ramp up bill collections aren’t specific, but it is an area the finance department is looking at improving, Interim Deputy Finance Officer Tamar Lewis said at an April 26 city council budget hearing.

“What we’re doing is not efficient enough, so we do need some changes there,” Lewis said.

Incurring debt and raising sewer rates is the finance department’s last resort, she said.

"That will demand some creative thinking and out-of-the box improvements,” Lewis said.