Michigan mayor dismissed from lawsuit over city's handling of lead in water

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- An appeals court on Wednesday dismissed a Michigan mayor from a lawsuit that accuses local officials of mismanaging problems with lead-contaminated water.

The court reversed a decision by a federal judge and said Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad has governmental immunity.

“Although we recognize that the response to Benton Harbor’s water crisis was far from perfect, the complaint does not provide any statement or action by Muhammad that would indicate that he had acted with deliberate indifference in causing or dealing with the crisis,” the three-judge panel said.

For three straight years, tests of Benton Harbor’s water system revealed lead levels in water that were too high. Lead can be especially harmful to young children, stunting their development and lowering IQ scores.

The lawsuit accused Muhammad of violating residents' rights to bodily integrity by not doing enough to protect residents. In 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said the city for more than a year had failed to warn residents and the local health department about lead. It ordered changes at the water plant.

The situation is different today. Lead pipes have been replaced in the city of 9,000 people, and lead levels in water have not exceeded federal guidelines.

Experts said an aging water system, fewer users and other issues caused lead to leach from pipes in Benton Harbor. Water flows from Lake Michigan to a treatment plant.

The lawsuit will continue against Benton Harbor's former water plant director, the appeals court said.