FLINT, MI -- After weeks of conversations, press conferences and meetings, the city's water relief credits are still set to end tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 28, which will leave residents carrying the full financial burden for water officials say they cannot drink without a filter.

Flint officials announced Feb. 9 that the state gave word that they would be ending Flint's water relief credits on Feb. 28 and the state will no longer pay the bill for Flint's connection to the Great Lakes Water Authority.

The city's discussions with Gov. Rick Snyder's office and pleas from other local lawmakers have failed to result in a reinstatement of the credits.

"As of March 1

st

, Flint will be paying nearly three times more for water that they haven't been able to drink for years," said an email from State Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich's office.

Flint residents pay the highest water bills in the country, according to a recent study.

"Recently Gov. Snyder's office abruptly notified the City of Flint that the state is ending a program that has helped residents pay their water bills since the Flint's water crisis began in 2014," said Ananich, D-Flint.

Ananich urged the Flint community to call Snyder's office to push state officials to reinstate the city's Water Relief Act. Snyder signed the Water Relief Act Feb. 26, giving residential Flint water customers a 65 percent credit and commercial customers a 20 percent credit.

A letter dated Feb. 7 to Flint's interim Finance Director David Sabuda from Snyder's top adviser, Richard Baird, cited research from the Department of Environmental Quaility that showed Flint's water was below the Environmental Protection Agency's federal action level for lead and copper.

Communications from the state were sent to Flint in December, January and finally February saying it was ending water relief credits to Flint and would discontinue paying Flint's $1.2-million monthly bill to GLWA.

State officials did not say whether Snyder's office has received calls regarding Flint's water relief credits, but did say the state has no intention on reissuing water relief credits.

"The water bill credit will not be extended, since the water meets all federal quality standards," said Snyder's spokeswoman Anna Heaton.

The state will still provide filters and filter replacement cartridges to Flint residents.

"The state is recommending the use of filtered water in areas where pipe replacement is occurring, which is why taxpayer funding is continuing to provide filters and filter replacement cartridges," Heaton said.

Plans are underway to start the fourth phase of Mayor Karen Weaver's program to replace Flint's water lines. Weaver launched the Fast Start program March 2016.

So far, about 800 homes have had pipes replaced. City officials say they are planning to replace pipes at about 6,000 homes annually for three years.

"State officials point to improved water quality tests as the reason for eliminating water credits, but let me remind you that the governor's office repeatedly said the water quality was safe when they were trying to cover up this crisis," Ananich said. "Yet, they are still recommending that residents use water filters for the next three years due to the possibility of spikes in lead levels."

In January, the DEQ reported that a six month cycle of water testing showed Flint was below the federal action level for the Lead and Copper Rule. The EPA allows 15 ppb. Flint's testing yielded results of 8 ppb.

State officials say when the pipes are disturbed during the replacement process, chances of lead increasing is likely.