Most people take for granted the fact that the water running from their faucets is clean. They trust the government and federal agencies to guarantee it’s safe to drink. However, the majority of Flint, Michigan, residents no longer trust officials — and not without cause. In the spring of 2014, the city switched its drinking water supply source from Lake Huron to the Flint River without updating treatments. This caused a change in water chemistry, corroding old lead pipes throughout the city.
Residents soon began to voice complaints about stinky, brown water flowing from their faucets. Doctors began finding evidence of high lead levels in children, and outside researchers warned citizens of lead poisoning. Yet, city officials repeatedly denied there was an issue with the water and later downplayed the problem. As a result, Flint’s tap water became increasingly contaminated with lead and dangerous Legionnaires’ disease-causing bacteria.
Suffering the Consequences
The introduction of lead and bacteria into the city’s tap water affected the health of thousands of people, sickening dozens and initially killing 12. However, the death toll may be much higher than that, considering 115 people in Flint died of severe pneumonia — which was most likely Legionnaires’ disease — in the following months. Scientists also found several strains of shigella bacteria in the water supply, which can cause severe gastrointestinal infection. To this day, many residents still contract shigellosis from the tap water.
Ultimately, a lack of corrosion control and monetary pressures led officials to make the switch — and lie to the public. Even after people were aware of the crisis, city officials didn’t agree to switch the water supply back to Lake Huron until 2015. Now, more than a half-decade later, the city is still suffering the consequences of economic greed and ignorance.
The Crisis Continues
As a city, Flint’s lead levels have been well below the Environmental Protection Agency’s limit since 2017. In fact, its water now contains less lead and copper than other Michigan cities, including Saginaw, Romulus and Benton Harbor. However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t still problems in Flint. Even after the city switched back to its original water supply five years ago, pipes and service lines continued to leak lead into the water. Obviously, the solution lay in changing the pipes, not just the water.
Thus, over the past five years, the city has been working on rebuilding its water infrastructure. Crews have inspected more than 23,000 service lines and replaced more than 9,000 pipes. By the time they are finished, they will have changed or inspected every line in Flint to ensure the pipes aren’t leaching metals into people’s drinking water. Progress is slow, though, as workers are unable to replace pipes when homeowners aren’t present. Moreover, many people have complained about property damage by crew members.
While city officials hoped to have this project completed by the end of 2019, pipe replacements continue. Until this work is finished, the city advises residents to either drink bottled water or continue using filters. However, state officials discontinued free bottled water distribution just last year, much to residents’ and city officials’ dismay. Now, the people of Flint must rely on reports from their local officials to determine whether or not their water is safe, as many have no choice but to drink from the tap.
Lingering Mistrust and the Search for Justice
Most residents remain skeptical of assurances from the government — and understandably so. After officials unabashedly withheld information about the crisis and lied about water safety, many are hesitant to trust them again. Plus, there’s no way for people to know how the high lead levels will affect their health in the coming years. Lead poisoning can stunt brain development in children, resulting in decreased intelligence, behavioral issues and learning problems. However, these effects won’t become apparent for years.
While trust for the government may have been harmed — or even completely shattered — some may find a sense of solace in judicial retribution. Last year, residents attempted to hold two former state environmental officials accountable for the water crisis. Initially, they charged 15 people, seven of them with misdemeanors. However, just before the new year, the court dismissed these charges. The judge also dropped criminal charges against eight other Flint water defendants, leaving some residents feeling defeated but many more determined.
Since then, thousands of citizens have filed a major class-action lawsuit against Michigan, Flint and the EPA. They claim their city officials disregarded residents’ physical health in the name of saving money — which isn’t entirely untrue. If the plaintiffs succeed, they’ll receive financial compensation. However, to the majority of residents, the litigation isn’t about monetary gains. It’s about justice — and with determination and a bit of luck, they might just get it. As to when officials will pay for what they did — that is still unclear.
Living With the Impact
Water running from Flint faucets may no longer be yellow or rancid, but the effects of the crisis will linger for many decades to come. Whether it be lifelong mistrust of the government or irreversible physical health issues — or both — citizens will have to live with the impacts of the Flint water crisis for many years. It will likely be a long time before residents forget their government’s negligence and dishonesty. Until then, they will continue searching for a sliver of justice and a reason to trust again.