Two officials were charged with involuntary manslaughter. In January 2021, former Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and eight other officials were charged with 34 felony counts and seven misdemeanors-41 counts in all-for their role in the crisis. įour government officials-one from the city of Flint, two from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), and one from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-resigned over the mishandling of the crisis, and one additional MDEQ staff member was fired. The water supply change was considered a possible cause of an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in the county that killed 12 people and affected another 87, but the original source of the bacteria was never found. Children are particularly at risk from the long-term effects of lead poisoning, which can include a reduction in intellectual functioning and IQ, and an increased chance of Alzheimer's disease.
īetween 6,000 and 12,000 children were exposed to drinking water with high levels of lead. Shortly thereafter, President Barack Obama declared a federal state of emergency, authorizing additional help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. On January 5, 2016, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder declared a state of emergency in Genesee County, of which Flint is the major population center.
It later signed a 30-year contract with the new Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) on November 22, 2017. The city switched back to the Detroit water system on October 16, 2015. A pair of scientific studies confirmed that lead contamination was present in the water supply. Officials failed to apply corrosion inhibitors to the water, which resulted in lead from aging pipes leaching into the water supply, exposing around 100,000 residents to elevated lead levels. Residents complained about the taste, smell, and appearance of the water. In April 2014, during a budget crisis, Flint changed its water source from treated Detroit Water and Sewerage Department water (sourced from Lake Huron and the Detroit River) to the Flint River. The Flint water crisis is a public health crisis that started in 2014 after the drinking water for the city of Flint, Michigan was contaminated with lead and possibly Legionella bacteria. For more information on the filter study, visit 6,000–12,000 children exposed to lead Ĭorinne Miller – a year of probation, 300 hours of community service, and fine of $1,200. Samples were collected at high-risk locations at homes with full-lead service lines, galvanized plumbing and where the most vulnerable populations live, including pregnant mothers and children. EPA and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) tested water filters in Flint and found that NSF-certified filters distributed by the state make water safe from lead for everyone. Water filters are effective at removing lead and other contaminants by 99.9 percent when properly installed and adequately maintained. Filters and residential sampling kits are available at City Hall. Filters will continue to be available for residents who feel more comfortable using a filter until their confidence in the water quality can be re-established.
FLINT WATER FREE
The state will continue to provide free water filters, replacement cartridges, and water testing kits until service line replacement is completed. Will filters and water test kits continue to be available?
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