Flint Mayor: Lead water pipe replacement being worked on

A stunning video was posted on Reddit last night, showing a very articulate Flint resident describing the water situation in her city.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said they had no reports of lead toxicity in household pets in the last five years until Flint’s water was contaminated – sickening an unknown number of children.

“We have performed over one hundred and sixty lead tests throughout the city since switching over to the Flint River and remain within the EPA standards”. Most chemicals used in this process are phosphate based and phosphate can be a “food” for bacteria. He did not specify who made the decision.

According Mayor Weaver, “I’m asking Governor Snyder and the State to partner with us on this effort”.

The legislature has already approved $37 million for Flint.

Instead, Snyder will be delivering his budget recommendation in Lansing to the MI legislature during the time he was asked to testify, according to Dave Murray, a spokesman for Gov. Snyder.

For many city residents, the crisis didn’t come as a big shock because they’ve known for the past two years that the water they have been paying for is bad. Obama was seeking an increase of $157 million, or 18 percent more than previous year, to assist communities like Flint that are experiencing similar water contamination problems.

Snyder and Earley have repeatedly tried to dodge any accountability for their roles in the crisis.

The Associated Press obtained the email from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Todd Flood suggested manslaughter as a possibility during a meeting with reporters Tuesday. “We pay the highest rates in the nation for the lowest quality of water”, the resident says.

That simply won’t work for Flint, Weaver said.

Mayor Karen Weaver announced the $55 million “fast start plan” at a news conference Tuesday morning. Although the city switched back to Detroit water in October, officials say the potential for harm continues because of damage done to Flint’s water distribution infrastructure. United Way of Genesee County has been at the forefront of distributing thousands of filtration pitchers, faucet mount filters, replacement cartridges and truckloads of water to underserved populations to address immediate needs in Flint Michigan.

The United Way says it’s outlining a framework that will provide children with at-home care, nutritional assistance and early childhood and supplemental education.

Children in particular have been confronted with an increased risk of lead poisoning, which can cause developmental delays and learning disabilities.

It’s unclear how soon any of the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund financing could be issued to help Flint replace its service lines. She said that could force water service shutoffs to resume, The Flint Journal reported, and at least $60 million is needed. “I can not imagine that (Snyder) would not support this plan”.