Governor Snyder owning up to failures with Flint water crisis

While the process has begun, the state needs to determine the full extent of the needs in Flint before a request for federal aid is made and that could take a period of time that he did not specify, said Dave Murray, press secretary for the governor.

Since October, more than 12,000 filters have been distributed, more than 2,000 blood tests have been done – uncovering 43 cases of elevated lead levels – and more than 700 water tests have been conducted, Snyder said. Officials announced Saturday that five city fire stations will serve as water resource sites for residents.

The city is under an emergency declaration right now.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder may ask for help from the Federal Government to deal with the water-poisoning crisis that the people of Flint are facing, according to The Detroit News.

Smith said she wanted to help because “I know a lot of people that are disadvantaged and don’t have vehicles”.

Today, in separate letters to both President Barack Obama and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder, Congressman Kildee said the state’s response so far to the public health emergency has been “inadequate” and that federal assistance is needed to help Flint residents. “I think they made a bad mistake in not responding”.

He’s created the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee to make recommendations on resident’s health, infrastructure upgrades, communication and incident action plans.

Snyder said at Monday’s news conference that after the Muchmore e-mail, state officials “came back and reaffirmed they didn’t believe there was an issue”.

The filters were not so much aimed specifically at getting lead out of the water as improving the quality of the water generally, since residents had been complaining about the taste, smell and appearance of the water since the switch to the Flint River, Overton said.

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Interim Director Keith Creagh gave no timeline for when the tap water would be OK to drink, saying additional testing is needed. “We certainly share their concern that everyone in Flint should have safe, clean water”.

Snyder apologized again on Monday for the state’s mishandling of the situation. When Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha investigated this matter, she found that there were high levels of lead in the bodies of Flint children.