In an unexpected move on Friday, the state of Michigan announced that it would be discontinuing deliveries of free bottled water to Flint residents. The reason why? According to them, the water quality in Flint is “meeting federal standards”and “restored.”
The surprising statement comes after lead was found in exceedingly high levels in Flint’s water in 2014. The lead contaminated water caused rashes, hair loss, and other reactions among its residents. In 2016, after an investigation initiated by the governor of Michigan, the state was deemed responsible for the water crisis by the unwise decision its environmental regulators made to use Flint River as a source for water.
The ongoing four year battle for potable water is one that is mostly forgotten by America, so the sudden switch from silence to restoration is garnering suspicion. While the state is adamant in the fact that Flint water is safe to drink, some are still arguing that until the contaminated pipes are completely replaced, residents should continue to receive safe drinking water.
https://twitter.com/MsPackyetti/status/982619209325842432
The people of Flint don't trust the water coming out of their tap because Rick Snyder put dollars and cents ahead of their lives. Michigan must do right by the people by providing free bottled water to anyone who needs it until every lead pipe is replaced. https://t.co/tg4sYamYWx
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) April 6, 2018
The people of Flint don’t trust the water coming out of their tap because Rick Snyder put dollars and cents ahead of their lives. Michigan must do right by the people by providing free bottled water to anyone who needs it until every lead pipe is replaced.
It’s laughable that the state of Michigan expects Flint residents to trust their word regarding the safety of their water. This is the same government that did not admit there was a lead problem until nearly a year after the people of Flint first started complaining of the tap water. This is also the same government whose Health and Human Services Director, Nick Lyon, was charged with involuntary manslaughter after failing to warn Flint about the outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease that was a direct result of the water crisis.
This announcement comes three days after Michigan agreed to allow Nestlé, the largest food company in the world, to take more fresh water from the state. The decision received a lot of public backlash even before it passed, as more than 80,000 residents were not in favor of it. The idea that Michigan is willing to sell its water when there is a literal water crisis in one of its own cities is outrageous and does nothing to improve the trustworthiness of the state.
Photo: Jake May
