For 1000 days, Flint, MI, has been without clean water

[WedgeX]

Courtesy the Detroit Free Press.

Though Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder touted the efforts made to heal Flint - "we've made progress, but our work is not done," he said Tuesday during his State of the State address in Lansing - city residents are still unable to drink tap water without a filter due to the lead contamination that began when the water supply was switched that day in 2014.

From the WHO:

Health effects of lead poisoning on children

Lead can have serious consequences for the health of children. At high levels of exposure, lead attacks the brain and central nervous system to cause coma, convulsions and even death. Children who survive severe lead poisoning may be left with mental retardation and behavioural disorders. At lower levels of exposure that cause no obvious symptoms, and that previously were considered safe, lead is now known to produce a spectrum of injury across multiple body systems. In particular lead affects children's brain development resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioural changes such as reduced attention span and increased antisocial behaviour, and reduced educational attainment. Lead exposure also causes anaemia, hypertension, renal impairment, immunotoxicity and toxicity to the reproductive organs. The neurological and behavioural effects of lead are believed to be irreversible.

There is no known safe blood lead concentration. But it is known that, as lead exposure increases, the range and severity of symptoms and effects also increases. Even blood lead concentrations as low as 5 µg/dl, once thought to be a ”safe level", may result in decreased intelligence in children, behavioural difficulties and learning problems.

How have poor children in other American cities fared after being poisoned by lead? Ask Baltimore.

Our long-running GAF thread. The Detroit Free Press' wonderful visual essay on the history of lead contamination in Flint.

edit:

And a brief history of Flint's water crisis: Governor Snyder appointed a financial Emergency Manager in 2011 to Flint who made the decision to start up an old, unused water treatment plant in Flint to take water from the Flint River after Detroit's water system raised rates but before Flint was connected to Karegnondi Water Authority. This decision brought bad water into the city and corroded the city's already old pipes. So even when clean Detroit water came back through particles from the pipes previously corroded by Flint River water started coming with it. County officials, who ironically are now being prosecuted by the state, tried to raise the alarm to Michigan's environmental agency and the governor's office. Finding no recourse there, they went to the EPA. Regulators at the EPA wanted to intervene in April of 2015 but were stopped by Michigan's environmental agency and a higher up in the EPA. The EPA regulator reached out to a researcher at Virginia Tech who blew the whistle in September 2015. Michigan's governor officially acknowledged the lead poisoning in October 2015 but did not declare a state of emergency until January 2016.

 

[GuitarGuruu]

Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Garmonbozia]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

 

[CrimsonSquall]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

Some districts just don't give a fuck

 

[Lord Frieza]

And they still voted in Republicans, who have overseen all of this without really doing anything significant, right? Insane. I'll never understand it.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

What is needed to fix this problem? Can the federal government simply say "Ok, local level ain't doing it we're going to go in and fix this period"? If so, why hasn't this been done? If not, why can't they?

 

[BackLogJoe]

I think the town of Flint should just relocate to a nice suburban area and take what they need. Water is a fucking necessity. If they aren't getting it, they should fight for it. This infuriates me.

 

[zero_suit]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

Look at Flint's demographic make up. Something tells me this issue would have been resolved swiftly if it was Troy or Bloomfield Hills...

 

[Liljagare]

This hasn't been fixed yet??? Jesus.

 

[WedgeX]

And they still voted in Republicans, who have overseen all of this without really doing anything significant, right? Insane. I'll never understand it.

Flint did not vote GOP, assuredly. Although Genesee County voted a stupidly high amount for the GOP.

What is needed to fix this problem? Can the federal government simply say "Ok, local level ain't doing it we're going to go in and fix this period"? If so, why hasn't this been done? If not, why can't they?

The state of Michigan could have fixed this but instead gave tax cuts to the rich which depleted the state's treasury. The President gave as much as was allowed under man-made disasters. Congress only within the last two months has allocated funds to rebuild the pipe infrastructure. The legislation was held up by GOP members who felt that it was a state's right problem.

 

[NetMapel]

How is this allowed to go on for so long? Where is the local, the county, the state and federal governments?

 

[Reckless Abandon]

Not only does this need fixed, the people responsible for it need to spend some serious time in jail.

Absolutely outrageous how they can straight up poison a whole cities worth of people and children and not face any, or at most almost no, consequences.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

Republicans in power is always a recipe for disaster

 

[PillarEN]

This really is the biggest embarrassment of the state this century. And we had some messed up Mayors in Detroit who would have easily taken that award if it weren't for Flint.

 

[ClosingADoor]

How is the government there not sued into oblivion yet over this? Absolutely unacceptable.

 

[International Iron Man]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

Well when you build your country on not giving a shit about non-white people and poor people, you get things like this.

 

[randome]

fele

 

[Panthalassic]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

Environmental racism.

 

[Gallbaro]

Republicans in power is always a recipe for disaster

Maybe, but having to replace pretty much the entire plumbing infrastructure of a city is not a cheap, easy, or immediate task.

 

[Odoul]

All thanks to a law this state voted down only to be brought back repeal-proof a month later.

Look at Flint's demographic make up. Something tells me this issue would have been resolved swiftly if it was Troy or Bloomfield Hills...

It's not even an if.

http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2017/01/08/gov-rick-snyder-tours-fraser-sinkhole-pledges-help/96320092/

Gov. Rick Snyder visited the Fraser sewer line sinkhole with local elected officials today, remarking that the Christmas Eve collapse that forced out residents was a “tragic situation” and calling for renewed attention to the problems of aging infrastructure across Michigan.

“It was important to come here,” Snyder said after a brief afternoon walking tour of the site on 15 Mile Road, east of Hayes, in Macomb County. “I had an opportunity to meet one of the residents. Again, we need to understand that this impacts real peoples’ lives.”

He moved with a rocket up his ass for this situation.

 

[Chococat]

And they still voted in Republicans, who have overseen all of this without really doing anything significant, right? Insane. I'll never understand it.

Flint most definitely does not vote republican. Rest of the rural state does, but not them.

Don't worry though, clean water for $200 is going to Nestle.

 

[Chococat]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

It is literally a black and white issue.

The recent sinkhole in Fraser response should have been what Flint got.

 

[demon]

Don't worry though, clean water for $200 is going to Nestle.

This is sick.

 

[Paltheos]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

They didn't have the money? My understanding is that this entire situation arose from a financial crisis to begin with. What makes you think that will now have been solved? On the whole too, we're not particularly good with maintaining our infrastructure because it's not a popular issue. This isn't ridiculous. It's quite natural. Bad, sure, but not ridiculous.

 

[TheLaughingStock]

They didn't have the money? My understanding is that this entire situation arose from a financial crisis to begin with. What makes you think that will now have been solved? On the whole too, we're not particularly good with maintaining our infrastructure because it's not a popular issue. This isn't ridiculous. It's quite natural. Bad, sure, but not ridiculous.

Lol what? The Treasury could've literally provided the financing 999 days ago but we need authorization from Congress.

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Can't they be sued? By the entire population? Fuck this capitalistic poisoning.

 

[Angelus Errare]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

Flint is like 95% black, that's how.

 

[Rentahamster]

We got money for drones though. Can I drink a drone?

 

[Cosmo Clock 21]

Look at Flint's demographic make up. Something tells me this issue would have been resolved swiftly if it was Troy or Bloomfield Hills...

IDK there's still a gigantic plume of 1-4 dioxane slowly creeping towards the water supply for Ann Arbor and Yspilanti and the state government has done jack shit for trying to clean it up

 

[PillarEN]

Flint is like 95% black, that's how.

No. Its majority is black but it's around 60% or so. Not to detract from your point, just to keep the numbers more accurate.

 

[WedgeX]

We got money for drones though. Can I drink a drone?

That's a good question to redirect to Mike Lee or David Vitter (although he will be out with the new Congressional term).

 

[Ogodei]

And they still voted in Republicans, who have overseen all of this without really doing anything significant, right? Insane. I'll never understand it.

Flint didn't vote for Republicans. In the Midwest, more than much of the rest of the country, the resentment between urban and rural areas runs very sharp. The voters probably figure Snyder's doing god's work poisoning Flint and forcing those poor blacks out of the state. Same with the looting and destruction of Detroit.

 

[adamsappel]

How is the government there not sued into oblivion yet over this? Absolutely unacceptable.

I might be misremembering, but I thought some political body made it illegal to sue over this.

 

[Fox Mulder]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

No one likes paying for infrastructure.

 

[Fermbiz]

Residents of Flint sure do like taking it in the ass.

 

[Adam_Vania]

you'd have thought the Dem candidate would have actually visited Michigan, being the ultimate champion of the poor and under-trodden and all.

ah, i forgot, the computer told them they didn't need to.

 

[mackattk]

No one likes paying for infrastructure.

Would be a great source of jobs for local communities, it would improve people's everyday lives, would be safer, etc.

That's great and all, but wouldn't the lower/middle class be happier if we give tax cuts to the rich? I think so, so let's do that instead!

 

[DeviantBoi]

Is there any particular reason why Obama didn't get involved?

 

[Rentahamster]

Is there any particular reason why Obama didn't get involved?

http://abcnews.go.com/US/obama-visiting-flint-shine-spotlight-water-crisis/story?id=38866464

 

[WedgeX]

Is there any particular reason why Obama didn't get involved?

He did, but it being a man-made disaster the executive branch was only able to fund $5 million in aid until Congress acted to allow more. Obama authorized aid in January 2016 when Snyder requested it, and Congress did not authorize aid until December 2016.

 

[Dandy Crocodile]

It sucks. I finally got out of the city once I graduated after making that thread on it here.
But lots of my friends still live there and have to cook, drink, and bathe in bottled water that has since stopped being donated in large amounts since the media has moved on.

 

[mackattk]

It sucks. I finally got out of the city once I graduated after making that thread on it here.
But lots of my friends still live there and have to cook, drink, and bathe in bottled water that has since stopped being donated in large amounts since the media has moved on.

What a horrible way to live. I am sure it is incredibly tough moving out because of the general wealth of that area as a whole and the housing prices surely have plummeted.

Looked at some houses.. one of the houses I looked at last sold for $205k in 2005. it is on the market for around $65k now.

 

[BackLogJoe]

It sucks. I finally got out of the city once I graduated after making that thread on it here.
But lots of my friends still live there and have to cook, drink, and bathe in bottled water that has since stopped being donated in large amounts since the media has moved on.

Motherfuck that's horrible.

I don't understanding why these people aren't rioting. They should go to the state capitol and fucking just fill up the building so no work can get done AT ALL. They should bath in the fucking bathrooms. Take the drinking water. Whatever they have to do to make life miserable for people until this situation gets fixed.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

How can something like this happen in a country like the USA? Ridiculous.

Pretty sure it's because it's a predominantly black district.

 

[Dandy Crocodile]

I've been to rallies where children have spoken about their struggles with schoolwork and frequent medical visits since the water was changed. I've met the doctor (Mona Hanna-Attisha) who did the original research on the rising lead levels.
Non-English speaking communities were hit especially hard in the beginning because warnings about the leaded water weren't translated so they had literally no way to find out about it for a while.

 

[A Fish Aficionado]

I've been to rallies where children have spoken about their struggles with schoolwork and frequent medical visits since the water was changed. I've met the doctor (Mona Hanna-Attisha) who did the original research on the rising lead levels.
Non-English speaking communities were hit especially hard in the beginning because warnings about the leaded water weren't translated so they had literally no way to find out about it for a while.

Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha is a goddam hero.

 

[AstroNut325]

Why isn't the entirety of Flint not in riot or at least a protest?

 

[Magwik]

At this point I can't even come up with any rage for the situation. It should have never happened yet alone went on this long without any solution. The media doesn't give a shit, the government doesn't care, meanwhile you have a president running around talking about making America great while thousands of citizens are deprived of clean water. The worst part is knowing that it is neglected because it's Flint, and a predominant black district. How can so many people not care, how can so much of the state still continue to vote republican after this disaster, and how does the Governor of the state just get away with it? If this went on for a month anywhere else in the US, it wouldn't have even lasted a month.

 

[Trojita]

And there's literally no chance of recovery for this area in the near future. A large amount of a generation that will reach adulthood will be mentally challenged and sick. The area has already been fucking devastated already for the last couple of decade.

 

[Cuburt]

This should never have been allowed in the first place but it's a tragedy that people in our country still don't have clean water and it's literally because of greed and negligence.