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• 1 media/Flint map.png 2024-08-13T22:26:33+00:00 Historical Background 14 image_header 2024-08-16T04:31:35+00:00

  The Flint, Michigan water crisis was “one of the most significant environmental contamination events in recent American history” because of its blatant negligence that imposed devastation on the residents of Flint. Since the late 19th century, the city of Flint, Michigan has used various sources to bring water into the city. In 1954, a new treatment plant allowed use of treated Flint River water. Although Flint flourished at that time with the growth of the automobile industry, its initial prosperity was built on a shaky foundation of “structural racism”. By the 1960s, the treatment process proved expensive for a city struggling with the loss of jobs and population. Flint’s reliance on a single industry in rapid decline transformed it from an affluent community to a depressed one. Fueled by the flight of wealthier residents seeking jobs elsewhere, it lost a much-needed tax base to support its expensive infrastructure. For that reason, in 1967 city officials began purchasing treated Lake Huron water through the Detroit Water and Sewage Department (DWSD). From that point, the city used a combination of DWSD and treated Flint River water, but the treatment of the Flint River water only occurred periodically. By 2013, due to additional financial concerns, Flint city officials decided to use only Flint River water, treating it through their own Flint Water Service Center (FWSC). An emergency manager from the Michigan state government supported the switch.

  Despite concerns from water specialists, in April 2014 city officials made the switch even though prior to that local changeover, “Sufficient pilot testing and corrosion studies were not commissioned and completed… Furthermore, since the Flint plant had not been fully operational in almost 50 years, was understaffed, and some of the staff were undertrained, it is not surprising that it was difficult to achieve effective treatment.” The abrupt change without sufficient monitoring proves particularly concerning given the variability of the Flint River water composition, which demands greater attention and monitoring than water from other, more stable sources such as Lake Huron. Variable water sources can experience quick changes in water chemistry which in turn hinder water quality as well as the condition of the water pipes.

  Flint residents began reporting concerns about water quality in May 2014, soon after the switch in their water source. They noticed changes in the odor, taste, and color of the water coming through their faucets. In particular, discoloration included a red tinge, which is associated with iron corrosion. In addition, many parents reported skin rashes on their children. Even the local General Motors Corporation reported that the water was corroding its engine parts, requiring them to change their water source from the city of Flint. By the summer of 2014, water testing revealed higher than acceptable levels of E. Coli, trihalomethane concentrations, lead, and other harmful chemicals. Trihalomethanes are a type of chemical known as a disinfection byproduct. They form in drinking water treated with disinfectants, typically chlorine. These chemicals can cause many health problems, including cancer. For that reason, chlorine levels demand careful and frequent monitoring. The trihalomethane content far exceeded levels allowed through the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, but they went unchecked by both federal and state governments for months.

  In addition to those contaminants, during the summers of 2014 and 2015, 91 cases of Legionellosis were reported. Legionellosis, a form of pneumonia, attacks the lungs and can spread through infected drinking water. Although a direct link to the Flint River water was not determined unequivocally, the number of diagnosed illnesses increased dramatically after the water source switch, continuing well into 2015. In addition, despite obvious signs, adequate lead testing did not occur until the summer of 2015, more than a year after the water source switch. At that time, coordinated reports from engineers and activists who organized a lead-testing campaign exposed how the corrosive water eroded the lead pipes of Flint’s faulty infrastructure. Still, officials did not implement adequate corrections for another few months.

  Insufficient monitoring and treatment created a myriad of problems in Flint. For example, adequate chlorine monitoring equipment had not been installed, and chlorination and fluoridation of the water was not properly regulated. Further, “The water utility did not have a corrosion-control plan…” Improper filters, treatment, and monitoring all led to the crisis. Additional concerns involved residual amounts of contaminants, especially lead, even after the switch back. All of those represent basic elements of water infrastructure; yet, blatant negligence occurred in Flint, rendering infrastructural violence to its vulnerable residents. Despite their complaints, they remained powerless, dependent on a government that was not looking out for their best interests.

  Despite all the concerns, “residents were continually reassured by local, state, and federal officials that their water was safe for consumption”. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality did not respond to residents until September 2014, five months after the switch and the residents’ first reports of concerns. Violations included failure to follow the Safe Drinking Water Act, a federal law, but still no meaningful action took place. By February 2015, water sampling found unacceptable levels of lead in the water of some households, which continued throughout 2015. In September 2015, a medical team published reports of increased blood lead levels among children following the switch to the Flint River. By that time, the water crisis in Flint had gained national publicity, which expedited its correction. As a result, in October 2015, a full eighteen months after the initial switch, officials in Flint reconnected the city’s water to the DWSD, which provided treated Lake Huron water. At that time, a concerted effort among officials and volunteers identified homes with lead water lines and conducted systematic lead testing as well as provided water filters and bottled water to the residents.
  
• 1 2024-08-16T02:03:34+00:00 The Enduring Impact and Lessons of the Flint Water Disaster 4 Introduction of the Flint Water Crisis google_maps 2024-08-16T02:36:12+00:00 43.016193, -83.705521. The Flint water crisis which started in 2014 can be regarded as one of the most vivid examples of governmental inaction and environmental injustice. Flint switched from using safe water from Lake Huron to save money, using water from the Flint River caused lead poisoning of about 98,000 people and with devastating effects on the health of the general public including the young (Maney & Sarahbeth, 2024). This paper aims to depict that the Flint water crisis shows that societies suffer significantly when leaders and decision-makers fail to heed warning signs and act promptly to address environmental threats: the consequences are long-lasting, especially in relation to people's health and their trust in their governments. The crisis brings out the problems of environmental injustice, government responsibility, and the impacts of environmental calamities on vulnerable groups, which make it a relevant case study for studying and preventing such disasters.
  Historical Background
  Flint Michigan was one among the thriving industrial city in the United States. However, it had faced some economic problems in the preceding decades before the water crisis of the Flourish. These financial issues of the city offered the backdrop to cut expenses that would be disastrous (Denchak, 2024). In April 2014, Flint was under the state-appointed emergency managers’ management and opted to change the source of water supply from Detroit to the Flint River (Carmody, 2022). This decision to cut the expenses was made without considering the risks that may occur or the proper infrastructures that may be required.
  The switch to the Flint River was the initial process that set the sequence of disastrous events. As depicted by Maney & Sarahbeth (2024) the residents soon began to complain about the colour of the water, its taste and smell. However, no significant efforts were invested in the residents' concerns instead, they were overlooked, and the authorities kept on assuring people that the water was safe for consumption (Sanburn, 2016).
  During the course of the crisis, the following events took place: In August 2014, E. coli and coliform bacteria were found in the water system and hence only boiled water was advised to be consumed (Denchak, 2024). Trihalomethanes a disinfection byproduct which is common in water was found in high levels in January 2015. However, it was not until September 2015 when Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha gave results of the Flint children’s blood lead levels that attracted national concern (Magazine & Riley, 2024). The state agreed to the problem in October 2015 and restored Flint to Detroit water but by then the harm was already done (Sanburn, 2016).