Resource sites open for Flint residents amid water crisis

Over the weekend, for example, the editorial board of the Detroit Free Press turned its attention directly to Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R), who’s facing calls for his arrest from protestors, comparing his handling of the Flint crisis to George W. Bush’s handling of Hurricane Katrina. Per Edwards, Flint city officials broke federal laws by failing to collect water samples from homes that were at the highest risk of lead contaminiation and failed to conduct followup tests as required on homes whose samples showed high levels.

Gov. Rick Snyder today signed an executive order (a PDF of the full executive order is located at the bottom of this story) creating the Flint Water Interagency Coordinating Committee, which will bring together a wide range of experts to work on long-term solutions to the Flint water situation and ongoing public health concerns affecting residents. The city returned to Detroit’s Lake Huron water in October after various problems, but officials remain concerned about the corrosion caused by the Flint River water. This week, governor Snyder declared a state of emergency and the federal government opened an investigation into the city’s contaminated water. Snyder’s emergency declaration sets the stage for seeking federal assistance and can be renewed beyond its February 1 expiration if the state cannot stop the lead contamination. (Lead is a potent neurotoxin, which can cause irreversible brain damage in children.) It is something much worse: a human rights abuse in an American city.

While juxtaposing the cutesy feel of the PSA with its shocking level of misinformation should conjure a few laughs, the situation unfolding in Flint is quite serious. (Lead can leech into drinking water from lead pipes.) A study released in September 2015 concluded that the change has put Flint children at significantly increased risk of lead poisoning.

An emergency has been declared in the city after water drawn from the Flint River leached lead from old plumbing for months after Flint switched from the Detroit water system in April 2014 to save money.

MI officials are stepping up their efforts to address elevated lead levels in Flint’s water after residents accused them of responding too slowly to the crisis. An entire city has been poisoned by a decision made by a state-appointed emergency financial manager and for months the state first denied, then delayed action to help the people of Flint. State officials have warned Flint resident not to drink their tap water without using a filter to strain out lead.

U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee, D-Flint, sent letters about the crisis Monday to President Barack Obama and to Snyder and said the state’s response has been inadeqauate. “Most of all, you deserve to know the truth, and I have a responsibility to tell the truth”.

“We thought it was just ridiculous”.