Once lead enters the bloodstream via inhalation of dust, ingestion of food, drinking of water that flows through lead pipes, or hand to mouth activity, it travels to the nerves, kidneys, brain, muscles, and heart. VT Civil and environmental engineering professor Marc Edwards cited the study at a press conference earlier this month where he warned Flint residents that the water posed a significant danger to public health, unless it’s properly filtered.
Advertisement
“I take responsibility now for finding solutions”, Walling said.
It opted instead to pull from the Karegnondi Water Authority, which is building a system to supply Genesee County with water pulled from Lake Huron.
“This is not something you mess around with”, she said.
The results were announced Thursday, although city officials were briefed Monday.
“We’re going to pay attention to all the data and research that’s brought to our attention”, Walling said.
Flint is asking Gov. Rick Snyder for $30 million to upgrade the water system. A third of that money would be used for replacement of lead service lines in households.
According to the study authored by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, director of the Pediatric Residency Program Hurley Medical Center, the percentage of children with elevated blood levels – that is, levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter (ug/dl) – increased from 2.1 percent before the switch to 4 percent after the switch to river water.
The action comes in the same week that several health groups and physicians urged families not to use Flint tap water for infant formula because of rising levels of lead and a Hurley Medical Center doctor released a study showing increasing incidents of elevated blood lead levels in Flint children.
During the 2013 period the city was getting its water from Detroit.
Advertisement
The reason the new water source may be contributing to these elevated lead levels does not have to do with the lead content of the river water itself, but rather its effects on the lead pipes that approximately 15,000 homes in the city are reported to have. Through the division residents can schedule a free water test.
