Replacing pipes to fix Flint’s water crisis could cost twice as much as expected

• Report notes other concerns such as removing lead-contaminated soil
• Engineering company said average cost is double what Michigan estimated

Replacing pipes to solve the lead-tainted water crisis in Flint could cost at least twice previous estimates, according to a report obtained by a newspaper.

Engineering company Rowe Professional Services told the state the average cost for replacing a service water line through a completed pilot project was $7,500. The Michigan department of environmental quality previously estimated it would cost $4,000, the Detroit Free Press reported on Saturday.