She said while she was relieved that the Michigan Legislature approved more than $9 million to help Flint reconnect to the Detroit water system, “I’m calling on the state of Michigan to finance water purchases from Detroit until safe drinking water is fully restored in Flint”.
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Flint, Mich. • Volunteers and police are knocking on doors in Flint to distribute bottled water, filters and lead test kits to residents in the MI city that’s confronting a water crisis. Exposure to lead can cause behavior problems and learning disabilities in children.
Flint residents have filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city and state of endangering their health.
The emergency manager, to cut costs, switched Flint’s water supply source from Lake Huron, supplied by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, to the more polluted and corrosive Flint River.
Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) today reiterated his call for federal assistance in the ongoing Flint water crisis. “The state will be working hard to partner with the city on additional resources” for community and economic development and early childhood education, he said.
Snyder apologized again on Monday for the state’s mishandling of the situation.
Snyder says Michigan’s response in recent months wasn’t “good enough” and he’s “responsible for what goes on in state government”.
Lt. David Kaiser says the door-to-door outreach is part of a larger effort to help people in Flint get the clean water they need. The state Department of Health and Human Services is telling parents that bathing their children is safe, so long as the kids don’t drink any of the water and they’re not in the tub for long.
Also Monday, he issued an executive order creating a committee to work long term on resolving the crisis and health concerns.
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Last week, Snyder declared an emergency after Flint and Genesee County requested financial assistance.
