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Email: Meijer insisted on anonymity in Flint filter donation

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FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Meijer arranged a donation of 1,500 water filters in Flint last summer but insisted on anonymity and even offered to give gift cards so the state could purchase them.

FLINT, MI - JANUARY 23: The City of Flint Water Plant is illuminated by moonlight on January 23, 2016 in Flint, Michigan. A federal state of emergency has been declared in Flint due to dangerous levels of contamination in the water supply. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

(Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

The disclosures are in emails released in recent days by Gov. Rick Snyder. The filters were distributed by Flint pastors, weeks before Snyder finally acknowledged that the city’s corrosive water was leaching dangerous levels of lead in old plumbing.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Meijer worked with Clorox to provide the Brita filters, worth about $20,000.

In an email to a Snyder aide, Meijer executive Mark Murray said: “Given all the circumstances, we are not interested in any publicity.” He didn’t elaborate.

Flint residents were complaining for months about water quality, but the Snyder administration was insisting the water was okay.