Nearly a decade after the Flint Water Crisis shocked the nation, one of the Environmental Protection Agency’s key responders is leading an expanded effort to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself.

Anthony Ross, former EPA Flint Emergency Coordinator and now founder of Environmental & Public Health International (EPHI), is scaling up a nationwide drinking water training program that draws directly from the failures and hard-won lessons of Flint. Launched in 2021, the online program aims to equip federal, state, and local water professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to prevent future public health disasters.

“I’ve seen firsthand the devastating impacts of a failed water system on a community, which is why I started EPHI—to help prevent another crisis,” Ross said in a statement.

Ross was on the front lines in Flint during one of the worst public health emergencies in recent memory, working with local and state officials to restore safe drinking water and accelerate lead service line replacements. Now, his mission is broader: to use Flint as a case study to train and prepare those responsible for water safety across the U.S.

This year’s training includes modules such as Lessons Learned from the Flint Water Crisis, which offers a critical breakdown of the events that led to the contamination and the regulatory gaps that allowed it to unfold. Another module, Flint: From Crisis to Recovery, examines how the city has worked toward restoration—highlighting both government-led infrastructure upgrades and the community’s ongoing resilience.

“Drinking water professionals face evolving challenges—from aging infrastructure to changing environmental regulations,” Ross said. “This training provides real-world insights from Flint to help protect public health and prevent future crises.”

EPHI’s program has drawn support from respected organizations in the global water sector, including the American Water Works Association, the European Water Association, the Illinois Section of AWWA, and the Singapore Water Association.

With many U.S. cities still grappling with outdated pipes and underfunded water systems, Ross hopes the training can help frontline professionals detect early warning signs and avoid the kind of systemic failure that devastated Flint.

As the national conversation around water justice, infrastructure equity, and environmental accountability continues, EPHI’s initiative serves as a reminder that the lessons of Flint are not just history—they’re a warning.