The Flint water crisis is a public health crisis that started in 2014. Click here to learn more about it!
Figure 1: Someone getting water
Introduction
The Flint Water crisis started in April 2014, where residents' drinking water in Flint, Michigan was contaminated with lead and (Allegedly) Legionella bacteria.
How did it Happen?
Flint, a city in southeastern Michigan, struggled economically. In 2002, John Engler, a Michigan Governor declared an economic emergency in the city. After many years, the city decided to switch its drinking water supply from Detroit’s system to the Flint River in a cost-saving move. That change was made in April 2014. Residents soon reported that the water’s appearance, taste, colour, and quality had changed. The waterway received raw sewage from the city’s waste treatment plant, agricultural and urban runoff, and toxins from leaching landfills. A study conducted by researchers at Virginia Tech revealed the problem: Water samples collected from 252 homes indicated citywide lead levels had spiked. All through a resident-organized effort.
The Effect
Tens of thousands of Flint residents were exposed to dangerous levels of lead, and outbreaks of Legionnaire disease killed at least 12 people and dozens more became ill. And ever since, Flint’s population has dropped to just 100,000 people, and about 45 per cent of its residents live below the poverty line. Nearly one in six of the city’s homes were deserted. Fifteen criminal cases were filed against local and state officials, but only one small conviction was obtained. On August 20, 2020, the victims of the crisis were granted a combined settlement of $600 million, with 80% going to the families of children affected by the crisis. By November, the settlement grew to $626 million. Michigan is paying $600 million, while Flint, an engineering firm and McLaren Health are covering the rest of the settlement. The city switched their water supply back in October 2015. But ever since Residents have been using bottled water to wash food and brush their teeth.
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