KALAMAZOO, MI — The city of Kalamazoo will spend $6 million to control lead and copper levels in the city’s drinking water in 2024. Safe, state-approved chemicals have been added to the city’s water to improve its quality since the 1950s, Public Services Director James Baker said. These chemicals, known as phosphates, coat the inside of the pipes they pass through, preventing lead and copper from leaching into drinking water.