The Flint Michigan Water Crisis is an ongoing issue that started in April of 2014. Flint is a city in Michigan with a population of around 98,000 and is located 70 miles north of Detriot. Until April 2014, Flint’s water source came from the same water source of the city of Detroit which is Lake Huron, but in an effort to save money, the city of Flint decided to switch its water supply to that of the Flint River. Immediately, residents began to complain about the water’s discolored appearance, poor taste, and foul smell. Officials insisted that nothing was wrong with the water even after residents developed rashes, nausea, fatigue. The city has since switched back to its previous water source with Detroit, but the damage had already been done.

The Flint River water was found to be much more corrosive than that of Lake Huron. The corrosive water combined with the city’s aging pipes caused lead to seep somehow into the water supply. A number of class action lawsuits against the city, state, and several public officials have resulted from this crisis causing former President Obama to declared it a state of emergency. 5 million dollars in aid has been authorized to the city of Flint and the Michigan National Guard has been mobilized to help distribute clean water to residents. As of 2017, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality stated that “lead levels in the city’s water tested below the federal limit in a recent six-month study”.

The safety of children has been a major concern in this crisis. In September 2015, the Hurley Medical Center released a study showing that children who had elevated lead levels in their blood nearly doubled since the city switched its water supply. According to the World Health Organization, “…lead affects children’s brain development resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioral changes such as reduced attention span and increased antisocial behavior, and reduced educational attainment. Lead exposure also causes anemia, hypertension, renal impairment, immunotoxicity and toxicity to the reproductive organs. The neurological and behavioral effects of lead are believed to be irreversible. ”

Since 2014, between 6,000 to 12,000 children have been exposed to the lead-contaminated water and are at risk of severe illnesses in the future.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/04/us/flint-water-crisis-fast-facts/