On Tuesday, Michigan governor, Rick Snyder, formally declared a state of emergency for the city of Flint and Genesee County in Michigan. The declaration was prompted by the escalating problem of lead polluted drinking water in the city.
The public declaration makes state resources available and mobilizes local emergency response and recovery operations. The Guardian reports that the declaration comes at the same time federal officials start working with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in investigating the issue.
Flint is an economically struggling city with a population of almost 100,000. In 2014, the city switched from Detroit's water system to water from the Flint River. It was supposed to be a cost-cutting move that was temporary until a new pipeline was installed to draw water from Lake Huron.
According to NBC, not long after the switch, Flint residents began complaining that the water was discolored brown and also smelled and tasted strange. At first, officials maintained that the water met safety standards, but more complaints soon followed after it was discovered that children has elevated levels of lead in their blood.
In an investigation, officials found out that the Flint River water was contaminated by old, corroding underground pipes. Health officials warned that exposure to lead can cause behavior problems and learning disabilities in young children. After a massive protest at Flint's City Hall in October, the city returned to the services of Detroit water system.
Despite the move to a safer water source, health officials repeat their warning that local tap water is still not safe to drink. Newly elected Flint mayor, Karen Weaver, declared the city under a state of emergency in December, which triggered the bureaucratic process of obtaining government disaster aid.
On Monday, the Genesee County Board of Commissioners prompted state officials to declare a state of emergency. The declaration mobilizes the Michigan state police, and the state's Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division to assist in relief operations and request for federal assistance.
Snyder reassures the public that officials will find "both short-term and long-term solutions to ensure the health and safety of Flint residents." Flint Congressman Dan Kildee says in a written statement that accountability in Flint's ongoing water crisis is a "top priority" and that he actively supports a federal investigation into the city's public health emergency. On Thursday, Weaver is scheduled to meet with Snyder to discuss the city's request to apply for a federal disaster declaration to the government.
According to The Free Press, most of the blame falls on Michigan's Department of Environmental Quality, who is responsible for overseeing water quality. The agency's director, Dan Wyant, resigned last month. The chairman of the Coalition for Clean Water in Flint, Rev. Allen Overton, tells the Free Press that formally declaring a state of emergency is the right decision. He acknowledges that they city need more funds to fix the entire infrastructure and adds that until that happens "we're not going to be able to do a lot, including drinking the water."
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