Amid denials, state workers in Flint, Mich., got clean water

Mary Stewart pours bottled water to make coffee in her apartment on the north side on January 21, 2016, in Flint, Michigan.

In a related story, just a day after a coalition of environmental and civil rights group filed a federal lawsuit against the state demanding it replace all of the lead pipes in Flint’s water system, Michigan Senate Democrats are seeking to do the same.

These emails say when Lansing was telling residents of Flint their drinking water was safe in January 2015, they were also arranging for coolers of purified drinking water for the Flint State Office building.

FLINT, Mich. (AP) – Federal officials warned Flint residents Friday that water samples from more than two dozen locations have higher lead levels than can be treated by filters that have been widely distributed to deal with the city’s contamination crisis, underscoring the need for all residents to have their water tested.

“While the city of Flint states that corrective actions are not necessary, DTMB is in the process of providing a water cooler on each occupied floor, positioned near the water fountain, so you can choose which water to drink”, one email read.

The agency that manages state buildings said Thursday coolers were introduced at the building after Flint flunked some drinking water standards unrelated to lead.

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, said the blame for the lead exposure belongs squarely with the Michigan state government, which is headed by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

Flint’s water crisis is affecting the health of thousands.

For example on the Snyder job rating 23 percent of the whites say the Governor’s done and excellent or good job but only 8 percent of the blacks agree.

“People would rather give money than their time”, said Diana Bruch, director of Adventist Community Services for the church’s Lake Union Conference, whose territory includes Flint. The funds also will help the city with unpaid water bills and cover testing, monitoring and other costs.

Rachel asked on the show, “If you lived in Flint, would you trust the state government to fix the problem there?” Officials failed to properly treat the water, which leached lead from pipes and became contaminated as it traveled to homes and other buildings.

There is now a class-action law suit against the Department of Environmental Quality for failing to meet federal mandates for clean water and for allowing lead pipes to be used to supply the city with water.

-The Senate could vote as early as next week on the proposal, as part of a bipartisan Senate energy bill. But given the serious questions about Snyder’s administration so far on the matter, even the mere appearance of a conflict casts a cloud over the entire probe.

The Michigan Senate has unanimously approved $28 million in additional funding to address the lead contamination of Flint’s water.

Synder acknowledged as much in a letter earlier this month to President Barack Obama, estimating it would cost $767,419,500 to replace Flint’s water system. A previous $9.3 million package was approved in October 2015 to reconnect Flint to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, provide filters and water testing to residents, aid in follow-up health services for children and assist with plumbing inspections at schools and health facilities.