Virginia Tech researchers who uncovered the Flint, Michigan water crisis revealed their newest research Tuesday.
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A research team led by Virginia Tech Professor Marc Edwards announced Tuesday lead levels in Flint’s drinking water have decreased since August.Edwards explained, “People have to continue using bottled water and filters until further notice”.
Understandably, Edwards said, many residents are avoiding their tap water and relying primarily on bottled water, both to lower their utility bills and to avoid possible contact with lead and other contaminants.
To help alleviate concerns about lingering lead particulate in the water system that has contributed to random spikes of lead in homes, officials are urging residents to flush their water faucets to remove the fragments and clean aerators in their water filters at least once a week.
This announcement comes the same day the state Legislature approved an extension requested by Gov. Rick Snyder. That allowed lead, which has been linked to developmental disabilities in children and other issues, to leach from old pipes.
“It is long past time for a serious conversation in this country about the risky lack of federal investment in our drinking water infrastructure and our public health system”, Pallone said.
Ms Mays reported that her water had turned from yellow a year ago to a blue-green colour, which may look like a “nice spa” but emits an odor so strong she has to use an inhaler, open a window and keep the air vent turned on.
This Thursday, March 24, 2016, image taken from video shows University of Michigan-Flint lecturer Veronica Robinson drawing blood from Ketisa Looney’s 7-year-old son Zyontae during a lead-testing clinic held at Richfield Pu.
“Our understanding is that will be the last (federal) extension, there won’t be another one after that, so we just matched that”, Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, said Wednesday. “The more the residents use the water, the faster the system will heal”. Additional testing was done after the Flint crisis came to light to locate any remaining service lines that contained lead.
Flint’s water soured after Snyder’s government oversaw the city’s switch to the Flint River as its source, then failed to treat the river water with anti-corrosion chemicals. “And we are vigilant to ensure that they are not drinking water that’s unsafe”.
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Water samples collected during March found that Flint water is still exceeding federal standards as determined by the EPA action level.
