President Barack Obama met at the White House on Tuesday the mayor of Flint, the Michigan city at the center of a health scare over tainted tap water, triggered by budget cuts.

Obama's meeting with Mayor Karen Weaver allowed the president to hear "firsthand how the residents of Flint are dealing with the ongoing public health crisis, and the challenges that still exist for the city, its residents, and the business community."

Obama "reiterated that his administration will continue to support state and local officials in their response," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

Obama declared a state of emergency in Michigan on Saturday, freeing up federal aid to help in the crisis over lead-contaminated water that arose from cost-cutting measures implemented in Flint, home to 100,000 people.

Problems arose after state officials ignored months of health warnings about the foul-smelling water as residents complained that it was making them sick.

As part of cost-cutting, the city began drawing water from the Flint River in April 2014 rather than continuing to buy it from Detroit.