#ROFlintWaterCrisis
The city of Flint, Michigan has faced a severe hardship in recent years. There has been an ongoing water contamination issue since the start of April 2014. This problem arose because Flint broke away from Detroit's water system and switched to the Flint RIver for their source of water in an effort to save money. Flint’s intent was to build their own pipeline to connect to the Karegnondi Water Authority (KWA), which was projected to save the region $200 million over 25 years. Before they could build the pipeline, however, they had to use the preexisting Flint River pipes. This switch was supposed to be temporary, but has lasted for nearly three years. The water that came from the Flint River had not been properly tested and was contaminated with lead from the aging pipes. All residents were advised to not drink the water and were forced to drink, wash, and use water from water bottles. In December of 2015, the mayor of Flint declared a state of emergency in the city, and in January president Barack Obama and governor Rick Snyder declared the same. Today, Flint’s water is still not safe for drinking. Over the years, much has happened in the city, but little has been done to address how the crisis should be handled. This issue has left the city outraged and the government in a spotlight position.
Many people have been extremely vocal about the situation in Flint. Many believe that it was the government’s intention to not care about Flint because they have a high population of African Americans and 40% of the city lives in poverty. One Flint resident explained, “Flint has been up there for some other bad things before. There’s shootings all the time, arson, and no cops. So many things get ignored in Flint just because we’re so poor.” It is also the belief of many that it was these conditions that led to neglect in Flint. It has been expressed that, “Years of funding cuts to infrastructure and state human services have weakened the support system for the state’s most vulnerable populations and hurt the well-being of all people.” The residents of Flint are undoubtedly outraged by all of the suffering that they have faced and will continue to face as a result of a crucial government mistake. When the government of the city of Flint made the decision to switch the city's water supply, they did not think that it would result in such a terrible crisis. However, they, along with approval from the state of Michigan, are still responsible for making the decision; one that drastically changed the life of Flint residents. It is hard for most people to simply imagine going about daily life without clean water, but for the people of Flint, this has been a nightmare of a reality for years. Even more horrific, studies show that the number of children in Flint with lead exposure has doubled since the the water supply switch that took place in 2014. The effects of lead are significantly concerning. Lead in a child’s blood can slow the development of their bones, organs, brain and nervous system, can impact cognitive development, and is linked to lower IQ, academic performance, decision-making and impulse control. The River Network expressed in an article that the crisis displays a “failure to fulfill our public health obligation for the people of Flint and the importance of holding government officials accountable for their actions.” As a result of these government failures, multiple ways of handling the situation have been proposed.
Although Governor Rick Snyder and the governments of Michigan and Flint have taken full responsibility for the disaster, there are several opinions on what action should be taken to fix the problems in Flint. One proposed example as a possible solution to the problems in Flint is discussed in an article from the River Network that talks about the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. The promise of the Act is to “ensure compliance with Federal drinking water standards by public water systems.” In Flint’s case, this said compliance is not present. The article stresses how one flaw of the Safe Drinking Water Act is that it doesn’t specify how governments will be held to the standards. A revision of the Act could solve this problem by addressing how a government be punished for compromising their people’s access to safe drinking water, in a way that helps the people affected after the situation that they have been through. Another perspective on a solution is that taxpayers of our country should/will pay to fix the Flint water crisis. In an article titled “Flint Water Crisis: US Taxpayers will pay for government screwup” it is reasoned that, “when government screws something up very badly, as they did here, is that that cost is always levied on the taxpayer one way or another way, whether it’s federal taxpayer, state, or local tax payers. The taxpayers are going to end up bailing out this situation caused by the government.” Another proposal to fix the crisis in Flint is described in Source A. In 1980, legislation was passed to prevent and control hazardous waste sites from harming people. It was called CERCLA, better known as the Superfund. The article discusses how an approach similar to Superfund could be a good solution for for Flint. “...perhaps the Superfund model could be employed, with the state the responsible party to pay to fix the problem, but the federal government overseeing the work.” Several events led to the passage of Superfund, one being the disaster that happened in Love Canal, a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York. Love Canal was home to a 16 acre landfill used for toxic wastes disposed of by the Hooker Chemical Company. The event forced out several families and caused them to have lasting health issues, including high red blood cell counts and leukemia. Superfund didn’t change these issues, but it did put regulations in place to ensure that another incident like Love Canal wouldn’t happen again, along with providing for cleanup of the landfill. Therefore, legislature such as Superfund could be adjusted and applied to the Flint water crisis and could serve as a proper solution.
Agencies like the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Human Services are being questioned during this time. Source B shares “The report also found that the MDEQ and Human Services “failed to adequately and promptly act to protect public health”. Many people question what these agencies are even around for and if it is their responsibility to keep our fellow citizens safe and protected? Some even believe that Snyder should step down, saying that he handled the situation with a complete lack of compassion. Source A states “ He [Snyder] was aware the water in Flint was foul in 2014 after the municipal source had been switched to the Flint River”. A major duty of the Governor is to make sure that the citizens in their state are safe, and Snyder ignored the situation completely. Regardless of their favored plan of action, most believe that the media will play a crucial role in finding help for Flint. One source saying, “perhaps the recent media attention that has unearthed some of state government’s failures in Flint will defog the Legislature’s lenses, so they will prioritize the wellbeing of Flint residents and those in other troubled cities in Michigan.”
The Flint water crisis has been an issue present for a period of nearly three years. It will go down in history as one of the most significant modern day government screw-ups of all time. As explained, it hasn't been the easiest of decisions on who should have to pay for the proposed fixes, what exactly the fixes even are, and when they can be done. The underlying truth is that Flint residents have been severely harmed from this, and the events needs to be used as a learning experience to ensure that a crisis like this never happens again, and if it does, that it is handled in an effective and sufficient manner.
Many people have been extremely vocal about the situation in Flint. Many believe that it was the government’s intention to not care about Flint because they have a high population of African Americans and 40% of the city lives in poverty. One Flint resident explained, “Flint has been up there for some other bad things before. There’s shootings all the time, arson, and no cops. So many things get ignored in Flint just because we’re so poor.” It is also the belief of many that it was these conditions that led to neglect in Flint. It has been expressed that, “Years of funding cuts to infrastructure and state human services have weakened the support system for the state’s most vulnerable populations and hurt the well-being of all people.” The residents of Flint are undoubtedly outraged by all of the suffering that they have faced and will continue to face as a result of a crucial government mistake. When the government of the city of Flint made the decision to switch the city's water supply, they did not think that it would result in such a terrible crisis. However, they, along with approval from the state of Michigan, are still responsible for making the decision; one that drastically changed the life of Flint residents. It is hard for most people to simply imagine going about daily life without clean water, but for the people of Flint, this has been a nightmare of a reality for years. Even more horrific, studies show that the number of children in Flint with lead exposure has doubled since the the water supply switch that took place in 2014. The effects of lead are significantly concerning. Lead in a child’s blood can slow the development of their bones, organs, brain and nervous system, can impact cognitive development, and is linked to lower IQ, academic performance, decision-making and impulse control. The River Network expressed in an article that the crisis displays a “failure to fulfill our public health obligation for the people of Flint and the importance of holding government officials accountable for their actions.” As a result of these government failures, multiple ways of handling the situation have been proposed.
Although Governor Rick Snyder and the governments of Michigan and Flint have taken full responsibility for the disaster, there are several opinions on what action should be taken to fix the problems in Flint. One proposed example as a possible solution to the problems in Flint is discussed in an article from the River Network that talks about the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. The promise of the Act is to “ensure compliance with Federal drinking water standards by public water systems.” In Flint’s case, this said compliance is not present. The article stresses how one flaw of the Safe Drinking Water Act is that it doesn’t specify how governments will be held to the standards. A revision of the Act could solve this problem by addressing how a government be punished for compromising their people’s access to safe drinking water, in a way that helps the people affected after the situation that they have been through. Another perspective on a solution is that taxpayers of our country should/will pay to fix the Flint water crisis. In an article titled “Flint Water Crisis: US Taxpayers will pay for government screwup” it is reasoned that, “when government screws something up very badly, as they did here, is that that cost is always levied on the taxpayer one way or another way, whether it’s federal taxpayer, state, or local tax payers. The taxpayers are going to end up bailing out this situation caused by the government.” Another proposal to fix the crisis in Flint is described in Source A. In 1980, legislation was passed to prevent and control hazardous waste sites from harming people. It was called CERCLA, better known as the Superfund. The article discusses how an approach similar to Superfund could be a good solution for for Flint. “...perhaps the Superfund model could be employed, with the state the responsible party to pay to fix the problem, but the federal government overseeing the work.” Several events led to the passage of Superfund, one being the disaster that happened in Love Canal, a neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York. Love Canal was home to a 16 acre landfill used for toxic wastes disposed of by the Hooker Chemical Company. The event forced out several families and caused them to have lasting health issues, including high red blood cell counts and leukemia. Superfund didn’t change these issues, but it did put regulations in place to ensure that another incident like Love Canal wouldn’t happen again, along with providing for cleanup of the landfill. Therefore, legislature such as Superfund could be adjusted and applied to the Flint water crisis and could serve as a proper solution.
Agencies like the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ), the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Human Services are being questioned during this time. Source B shares “The report also found that the MDEQ and Human Services “failed to adequately and promptly act to protect public health”. Many people question what these agencies are even around for and if it is their responsibility to keep our fellow citizens safe and protected? Some even believe that Snyder should step down, saying that he handled the situation with a complete lack of compassion. Source A states “ He [Snyder] was aware the water in Flint was foul in 2014 after the municipal source had been switched to the Flint River”. A major duty of the Governor is to make sure that the citizens in their state are safe, and Snyder ignored the situation completely. Regardless of their favored plan of action, most believe that the media will play a crucial role in finding help for Flint. One source saying, “perhaps the recent media attention that has unearthed some of state government’s failures in Flint will defog the Legislature’s lenses, so they will prioritize the wellbeing of Flint residents and those in other troubled cities in Michigan.”
The Flint water crisis has been an issue present for a period of nearly three years. It will go down in history as one of the most significant modern day government screw-ups of all time. As explained, it hasn't been the easiest of decisions on who should have to pay for the proposed fixes, what exactly the fixes even are, and when they can be done. The underlying truth is that Flint residents have been severely harmed from this, and the events needs to be used as a learning experience to ensure that a crisis like this never happens again, and if it does, that it is handled in an effective and sufficient manner.
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If You Want To Know More
Lead-Laced Water In Flint: A Step-By-Step Look At The Makings Of A Crisis
A month by month summary of all events/complications/news regarding the Flint Water Crisis.
A month by month summary of all events/complications/news regarding the Flint Water Crisis.
Flint Water Crisis: Where It Stands A Year Later
The standing of the flint water crisis after the issue arose. This article takes a look at the ways the government tries to solve this issue.
The standing of the flint water crisis after the issue arose. This article takes a look at the ways the government tries to solve this issue.