Testing done by the state Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) of residents’ water was performed in a slipshod manner that minimized the levels of lead in the samples.
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Accused of turning a blind eye to local residents who complained the discolored water was making them sick, the governor of MI has finally declared a state of emergency and promised swift action to help. He said he would release on Wednesday his own emails regarding Flint’s water, which became contaminated with too much lead when the city switched its water source in 2014 as a cost-cutting measure.
A retired General Motors worker who attended the demonstration told the Detroit Free Press she believed Snyder had knowledge of a health risk to Flint residents long before the state acted to address it, and the governor needs to be held accountable.
“We know that we have kids that have been impacted by this, impacted in a negative way”, she said.
Parents were encouraged to get blood tests for themselves and their children, and all Flint children under the age of six should should have their blood lead levels checked, officials said.
“This is an unfortunate situation that I do apologize for with respect to our responsibility”, Governor Rick Snyder said Thursday after meeting with the city’s mayor. It also started to leach lead out of the old pipes that distribute the city’s water.
The lead contamination – which can lead to behavior problems and learning disabilities in children and kidney ailments in adults – has left Flint residents unable to drink unfiltered tap water. The city returned to Detroit’s Lake Huron water in October after various problems, but officials remain concerned about the corrosion caused by the Flint River water. “The state says they have a surplus of money, we don’t need to store away money for the future, when you’re killing people in the present”, Marlisa Meah says. An entire city has been poisoned by a decision made by a state-appointed emergency financial manager and for months the state first denied, then delayed action to help the people of Flint. According to the World Health Organization, “Young children are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead and can suffer profound and permanent adverse health effects, particularly affecting the development of the brain and nervous system”.
“We thought it was just ridiculous”.
Water testing kits, water filters, and replacement cartridges to families affected by the city’s water crisis. The state is working with local officials on the effort.
“I have a degree of responsibility”, he said.
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With chanting protesters demanding his resignation in the background, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder announced Monday that he plans to ask for federal aid to deal with the lead-poisoning crisis in Flint.
