FLINT, MICHIGAN — A city in Michigan is thirsty for justice after a large number of residents began suffering from severe lead poisoning, an issue which prompted city officials to declare a state of emergency on Monday night.
Flint, Michigan changed their water source from the Detroit system, which draws water from Lake Huron, to the Flint River in April 2014 as a cost-saving option. Reports found that Flint River’s water is more corrosive than Lake Huron’s, and caused high levels of lead to leach out of the city’s aging pipes into the water supply.
A recent study released by Flint’s Hurley Medical Center shows that the number of infants and children in the community with elevated lead in their bloodstreams doubled between 2013 and 2015. By the time Flint restored its connection to the Detroit water supply in mid-October this year, it was probably too late for thousands of city residents.
Soon after the switch in water supply, residents began complaining about the yellow, murky, foul-smelling water coming out of their taps, the Washington Post reported. Some reported experiencing hair loss and rashes. Flint officials didn’t ignore Flint residents’ complaints, not completely at least. Instead, they assured everyone that the water is perfectly safe. After it was revealed that the water was indeed contaminated, officials suggested that residents begin boiling their water and handed out water filters rather than fix the root of the problem — a contaminated water supply.
According to Reuters, Flint residents filed a federal lawsuit against the city last month. In the suit, residents are accusing officials of endangering their health and “deliberately” depriving people from safe drinking water.
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