Flint Residents: Unaware Victims Of Polluted Water?

The Flint water crisis, which began in April 2014, exposed tens of thousands of Flint, Michigan, residents to dangerous levels of lead and other contaminants in their drinking water. Almost immediately after the city switched its water supply from Detroit's system to the Flint River, residents started complaining about the water's foul look, smell, and taste. Despite these protests, officials maintained that the water was safe, and it wasn't until a year later that a study by Virginia Tech researchers revealed citywide lead levels had spiked, with nearly 17% of samples registering above the federal action level. Even after this revelation, the city failed to take prompt corrective action, and the situation has continued to affect the health and well-being of Flint residents, with 51% of households reporting a decline in physical health due to the water crisis.

Flint residents' health concerns

The Flint water crisis, which began in April 2014, has had a significant impact on the health of the city's residents. Almost immediately after the city switched its water supply to the Flint River, residents began complaining about the water's foul appearance, smell, and taste. Despite these concerns, city officials maintained that the water was safe, and it was not until October 2015 that Michigan Governor Rick Snyder finally acknowledged the presence of lead in the water, declaring a public health crisis.

The crisis has had particularly harmful effects on children, who are especially vulnerable to lead exposure. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a local pediatrician, reported in September 2015 that the incidence of elevated blood-lead levels in children citywide had nearly doubled since 2014. High blood lead levels can cause learning disabilities, behavioral problems, slowed growth and development, hearing and speech problems, and reduced intelligence quotient (IQ). Even very low levels of lead exposure can have adverse health effects on children, and the long-term impacts of the crisis are still being felt by many residents.

In addition to the immediate health concerns, the crisis has also highlighted the need for better water infrastructure and corrosion control plans. The American Society of Civil Engineers has given the nation's drinking water pipe system a grade of D-minus, indicating the poor state of water infrastructure in the country. The crisis has also brought to light the issue of environmental injustice, with Flint being a majority-black city where 40% of people live in poverty.

The city of Flint has faced criticism for its handling of the crisis, particularly for its failure to meet court-ordered deadlines to check the service line material and replace lead service lines. As of April 2024, ten years after the start of the crisis, the work to replace the lead service lines was still ongoing. The EPA and other health authorities agree that there is no safe level of lead in water, and the continuing presence of lead pipes in hundreds of Flint homes remains a concern.

To address the health concerns of Flint residents, various initiatives have been undertaken. A lead exposure registry, known as the Flint Registry, was established to collect data on a voluntary basis from residents exposed to contaminated water. The registry aims to identify eligible participants, monitor their health and development, and improve service delivery to those affected by lead exposure. Additionally, free water testing and bottled water distribution centers have been made available to residents.

Government inaction

The Flint water crisis is a story of environmental injustice and bad decision-making. It began on April 25, 2014, when, in an attempt to cut costs, the city changed its water supply from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to the Flint River. Almost immediately, residents started complaining about the water's foul smell, strange taste, and discolouration. Despite these protests, officials maintained that the water was safe.

Inadequate treatment and testing of the water resulted in a series of major water quality and health issues for Flint residents. These issues were chronically ignored, overlooked, and discounted by government officials even as complaints mounted. The water was found to have unsafe levels of lead, with nearly 17% of samples registering above the federal action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb). The Michigan Civil Rights Commission concluded that the poor government response to the crisis was a "result of systemic racism".

The Obama administration has been criticized for its failure to respond to the crisis at the federal level. Despite advocating for growth in minority communities, the administration's lack of action stunted the growth of Flint, a minority community. The federal government's inaction meant that aid did not arrive until almost two years after the water supply was switched, by which time the effects of lead poisoning were already being felt across the community.

The Trump administration also failed to take action, and as of 2024, the Biden administration has yet to address the crisis. While some government officials have faced charges and civil lawsuits, none of the individuals in power have faced criminal penalties for their actions.

Water quality tests

The Flint water crisis began on April 25, 2014, when the city switched its drinking water supply from Detroit's system to the Flint River to cut costs. Soon after, residents started complaining about the water's foul appearance, smell, and taste. Officials, however, maintained that the water was safe.

To ensure compliance with these standards, various water quality tests can be conducted:

• Consumer Confidence Reports (CCR): Municipal water suppliers with 100,000 or more people are required to publish annual CCRs, detailing how their water measures up against EPA standards. However, these reports may not capture issues that arise downstream of testing stations, as seen in the Flint water crisis.
• Laboratory Testing: The EPA recommends using certified labs for accurate water testing. These tests can be expensive, costing over $500, depending on the contaminants tested.
• Health Department Testing: Local health departments may offer free or low-cost water testing services.
• Nonprofit Initiatives: Nonprofit organizations like Healthy Babies Bright Futures offer low-cost lead testing kits.
• Mail-in Kits: There are mail-in kits available that involve sending water samples to certified labs for testing. These kits vary in cost and the types of contaminants they test for.
• Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Test Kits: These kits are widely available and allow individuals to test water samples at home without sending them to a lab. However, the accuracy of these kits may vary, and it is not always clear what they test for.

It is important to note that water utilities are not mandated to test for every possible contaminant. Therefore, additional testing may be necessary to ensure the safety of drinking water, especially in areas with older infrastructure or known water quality issues.

Public health interventions

The Flint water crisis was a public health emergency that prompted a range of interventions from various stakeholders, including government agencies, non-profit organizations, and community groups. Here are some of the key public health interventions that were implemented:

Surveillance and Data Collection:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) enhanced its Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program (CLPPP) activities. They received funding to support 14 state and local health departments to strengthen blood lead testing, surveillance, and processes to link lead-exposed children to appropriate services.
• The creation of the Flint Registry, a voluntary lead exposure registry, allowed for the collection of data from residents exposed to contaminated water between April 25, 2014, and October 15, 2015. This helped identify eligible participants and ensure robust registry data.
• The Virginia Tech research team, led by Marc Edwards, conducted a comprehensive study of Flint's water and created a website called "Flint Water Study" to inform and support residents during the crisis.

Infrastructure Improvements:

• Flint initiated a program to replace thousands of lead and galvanized-steel service lines connecting city water mains to local homes. The project, funded by a $100 million grant from Congress, aimed to remove lead piping from 6,000 homes.
• The city switched back to its original water supply from Detroit, ending the use of Flint River water in October 2015.

Communication and Outreach:

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provided assistance in coordinating effective health messaging, assessing lead exposure, and providing guidance on blood lead screening protocols.
• The Flint community, with the support of doctors, scientists, journalists, and citizen activists, played a crucial role in shining a light on the crisis and advocating for change.
• The Michigan Civil Rights Commission concluded that the poor governmental response to the crisis was a result of systemic racism, highlighting the need for improved risk communication strategies and environmental health infrastructure.

Legal and Policy Interventions:

• Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced an independent review to determine if any Michigan laws were violated during the crisis, leading to criminal charges against several individuals in power.
• Governor-elect Gretchen Whitmer pledged to restore free water distribution to Flint residents and signed an executive directive requiring state employees to immediately report any threats to public health or safety.
• Congress funded the CDC to establish a federal advisory committee and support a voluntary Flint lead exposure registry.
• A lawsuit resulted in a $626 million settlement in 2023 for Flint residents, holding accountable those responsible for the crisis.

These interventions aimed to address the immediate health concerns, improve water infrastructure, enhance communication, and seek justice for the residents of Flint affected by the water crisis. However, as of April 2024, the work of identifying and replacing all lead service lines in Flint remained unfinished, indicating that long-term public health interventions are still ongoing.

Ongoing recovery efforts

The Flint water crisis, which began in April 2014, was a result of the city switching its drinking water supply from Detroit's system to the Flint River to cut costs. This led to lead contamination in the water, causing a range of health issues for residents, including skin rashes, hair loss, and itchy skin. It also contributed to elevated blood lead levels, especially in children, which can have serious neurological and developmental consequences.

The recovery efforts in Flint are ongoing, with various measures being taken to address the water crisis and its impacts:

• Water Quality Improvements: The city of Flint has implemented water quality improvements, and since July 2016, the city's water system has consistently met state and federal standards for lead in drinking water. The latest monitoring results show that Flint's 90th percentile for lead levels is 3 parts per billion (ppb), which is below the federal action level of 15 ppb.
• Pipe Replacement: Flint has been working on replacing lead service lines that connect city water mains to local homes. As of April 2024, the program has been ongoing for 10 years, and the city has conducted excavations to determine service line material composition at approximately 98% of residential locations.
• Healthcare: The state of Michigan has provided resources to support healthcare initiatives for Flint residents affected by the water crisis. This includes addressing the elevated blood lead levels, particularly in children, and providing healthcare resources to aid in recovery.
• Food and Water Resources: The state and federal governments have allocated funds to provide critical clean water resources, such as bottled water, water filters, and water testing kits, to Flint families free of charge. Additionally, partnerships have been formed to provide food resources and address food insecurity in the community.
• Education and Job Training: The recovery efforts also focus on education and job training initiatives. The state and federal funds are being used to enhance educational resources and create job training and development opportunities for Flint residents.
• Legal Action: There have been ongoing legal proceedings related to the Flint water crisis. Several officials have been charged with involuntary manslaughter, obstruction of justice, and lying to police officers. Additionally, lawsuits have been filed to ensure that the city properly manages its lead service line replacement program and adheres to court-ordered deadlines.
• Infrastructure Improvements: The city of Flint has been working on improving its water infrastructure. This includes addressing the severely corroded pipes and plumbing that contributed to the lead contamination crisis.
• Risk Communication and Surveillance: The crisis has highlighted the need for improved risk communication strategies and enhanced surveillance to identify and respond to environmental threats, particularly those related to lead poisoning.

Frequently asked questions