Former senator will try to broker deals in water lawsuits

FLINT (AP) — A judge says she plans to appoint former U.S. Sen. Carl Levin as a mediator in lawsuits related to the Flint water crisis.

Federal Judge Judith Levy says Levin would work with former Wayne County Judge Pamela Harwood. Levin represented Michigan in the U.S. Senate for more than 30 years before retiring in 2015.

Levy is overseeing much of the litigation related to Flint’s lead-tainted water. She’s meeting with lawyers again today. Residents are suing city and state officials as well as companies that were hired to analyze the city’s water system.

In 2014 and 2015, Flint didn’t properly treat corrosive water that was pulled from the Flint River. As a result, lead in old pipes contaminated the water.