Contaminated water in Flint, Michigan causes political crisis
On
August 14, 2014 Flint, Michigan announced that bacteria had been detected in
the city’s drinking water supply. The
detection of bacteria had prompted the city to declare a boil water advisory to
residents living on the west side of Flint.
Earlier in the year, on April 25, 2014, Flint changed the source of its
water supply. Previously, Flint received
its drinking water from Lake Huron and the Detroit River and in 2014 the city switched
its supply to the Flint River.
The
city’s water supply change was supposed to be a temporary fix. The city went to the Flint River as its main
water source while a new pipeline would be constructed to supply water from
Lake Huron to Flint. Shortly after
changing the water supply to the Flint River, residents began reporting that
drinking water looked contaminated.
The
Detroit River had supplied the city of Flint with quality drinking water for almost
50 years. After the city changed its
drinking water source, Flint residents began noticing that the water they were
drinking smelled bad and had an odd taste.
For 18 months, city and state officials told residents to not be worried
about the odd smelling and tasting drinking water. Government officials asked residents to be
patient and assured citizens that the water was safe. Unfortunately, the water was not safe. Insufficient water treatment caused lead from
pipes to leak into the drinking water supply.
The
new water treatment program for Flint’s water system did not include corrosion
control – which is a violation of federal law.
The tainted water that Flint residents were consuming violated the
federal limit for total trihalomethanes or TTHMs – which are four colorless and
odorless chemical compounds. If continuously
consumed TTHMs can increase the risk of cancer and cause significant damage to
internal organs.
Residents
of Flint were not the only ones effected by the tainted water. In October 2014, the General Motors automotive
plant in Flint removed itself from receiving water from the Flint River. The decision to change was made because the water
from the Flint River was corroding engine parts made at the GM plant. The water crisis has disrupted people’s lives
in numerous ways. Residents have
developed hair loss and rashes and homes have been devalued from ruined plumbing
systems.
On
June 14, 2017, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office announced that several
state officials were being charged with involuntary manslaughter as a result of
a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Flint from June 2014 – November 2015. The outbreak caused the deaths of at least 12
people during the water crisis.
For
more information about the Flint,Michigan water crisis visit:
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