Oct 314 min read

The Flint Michigan Water Crisis

Author: Bryan Lin

Editors: Justin Tai, Ethan Tai

Artist: Esther Chen

The Flint water crisis exposed various environmental injustices and public health failures. When Flint switched its water source to the corrosive Flint River, it provoked a chain reaction that poisoned thousands and shook the nation's trust in its infrastructure. So why did Flint Michigan switch its water source? And how did the poisoned water affect the residents’ health? How did the crisis affect environmental policy in America? Through this lens, a cost-saving measure ultimately transformed into a nightmarish story of oversight.

To understand why the city switched its water source, it is important to first realize Flint Michigan’s century-long struggle. Once a thriving hub of the automobile industry with nearly 200,000 residents, Flint's population sharply declined in the 1980s due to General Motors’ decision to shut down many of its factories. As the largest employer of Flint residents, the vast number of auto plants that closed reduced the population by half and left behind a community grappling with poverty and abandoned homes. This economic downturn set the stage for the city’s decision in 2013 to switch its water source. Under state-appointed emergency management, city officials changed Flint's water source from Detroit's system to the Flint River, a cost-cutting measure that would soon prove to be a nightmare. For many years, the Flint River served as an unofficial dumping ground for industrial waste, raw sewage, and runoff, making it a toxic site that supposedly even caught fire twice. The officials failed to properly treat the river's highly corrosive water which led to lead leaching from aging pipes and poisoning thousands of homes. These consequences catalyzed a public health crisis that shook the nation.

In April 2014, shortly after Flint began drawing water from the river, residents started complaining about the water's foul appearance, smell, and taste. Despite these alarming signs, officials continued to insist that the water was safe. It wasn't until 2015 that the true extent of the problem came to light. A Virginia Tech study revealed that citywide lead levels spiked dramatically, with 17% of water samples exceeding the legal federal level for recreationally used water. Additionally, findings from the local pediatrician, Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, reported that the incidence of elevated blood-lead levels in Flint's children had doubled since the switch. She asserted, "Lead is one of the most damning things you can do to a child in their entire life-course trajectory,” suggesting the severity of long-term negative impacts on the health and wellness of children exposed to lead during their critical developmental periods. The exposure to lead jeopardized nearly 9,000 children with a higher risk of severe, long-term health and developmental issues. Children exposed to high lead levels can develop cognitive impairment, learning disabilities, delayed physical development, hearing problems, and even anemia. This crisis was exacerbated by an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, a type of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria which had been present in the toxic water and ultimately claimed 12 lives. Although there were no other deaths attributed to the toxic water, the overall health and wellness of the residents during this two-year period plummeted.

The effects of Flint Michigan’s water crisis expanded beyond the city to the environmental policy in America. The crisis brought much attention to various environmental justice issues, leading to efforts that attempted to reduce environmental impacts on low-income communities. It also increased federal funding for water infrastructure improvements, including lead pipe replacement programs that helped reduce the risk of a similar crisis in the future. Additionally, many states implemented stricter requirements for public notification of water quality issues and lead testing results, and legislatures enacted more rigid oversight measures and passed bills addressing water quality issues. The Flint crisis served as a wake-up call, prompting policymakers to reassess and strengthen environmental protections and water safety regulations.

The Flint water crisis represented an important event in American environmental policy, addressing serious weaknesses in America’s water management systems. Since the incident, Americans have witnessed a plethora of federal regulations being put in place for drinking water, including the EPA's revised Lead and Copper Rule, which demanded more testing and mapping of lead lines. The crisis also shined light on environmental justice issues and the problems faced by low-income communities. While the residents of Flint continue to deal with the long-term consequences of the disaster, their struggle has precipitated policy changes and crucial steps to ensure more universal access to clean water for all Americans.

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