Premium Essay

Flint Water Crisis

In:

Submitted By Jaydeenick83
Words 874
Pages 4
Jason Nickell
Ecology Powerpoint Project

The Flint Water Crisis The Flint water crisis is a drinking water contamination issue in Flint, Michigan that started in April 2014. After Flint changed its water source from treated Detroit Water and Sewerage Department water to the Flint River, its drinking water had a series of problems with lead contamination, creating a serious public health danger. One rumor is said that the reason for the change in water source was because that in mid-2014 the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department had acquired a significant debt and delinquent accounts and talks of privatization were occurring. It was also cheaper to pull water from a near-by river instead of using outside resources. When officials decided on the change, they failed to apply corrosion inhibitors to the source. The failed application of corrosion inhibitor: Orthophosphate. A corrosion inhibitor is a chemical compound that, when added to a liquid or gas, it decreases the corrosion rate of a material; in this case metal pipes. Not only were corrosion inhibitors not used but officials failed to realize, was that the Flint River itself was also found to contain EIGHT times more chloride than Detroit’s water.
Chloride is highly corrosive to metals. The lacking inhibitors and the corrosive Flint River water caused lead from aging pipes to dissolve into the water supply, causing extremely elevated levels of the heavy metal. No not Metalica. Aging Pipes? Most residents in Flint have decades-old lead service lines that connect their homes to the city’s main water pipes. One would think the residents would notice, and they did.
Once Flint switched its water supply, most Flint residents knew it immediately. Residents described the water coming from their faucets often as a brownish-yellow and said it both smelled and tasted odd. As delicious as this sounds, also take

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

The Flint Water Crisis

...Flint Water Crisis Community Teaching Experience Leah Van Wagnen February 2, 2016 Grand Canyon University NRS 427V All over the world there are people who unfortunately do not have clean drinking water. We mostly see this in areas of high poverty, including third world countries. It is a shame that nothing is done for most of those cities and people, but once this tragedy happens in an American city, aid is quick to come by. The purpose of this paper is to discuss a teaching plan developed around the topic of the Flint Water Crisis, water safety, symptoms of lead poisoning, water contaminants, and how to teach patients on those topics. This paper will also discuss the epidemiological rationale for the topic, evaluation of the teaching experience, the community’s response to the teaching, and areas of strength and weakness in the teaching plan. Summary of Teaching Plan The teaching plan focused on the education of nurse residents, or new grad nurses, who work at Sparrow hospital in Lansing, MI and live within the mid-Michigan area. The members of the group I addressed were all between the ages of 21 and 30, have completed at least an associate’s degree in nursing, and are no stranger to interactive lectures and presentations. The education took place at Sparrow hospital and took approximately twenty minutes to complete at no cost to the teacher. PowerPoints were passed out to each individual containing the related information. These nurse residents were educated on...

Words: 1622 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Flint, Michigan Water Crisis

...Flint, Michigan Water Crisis Currently in the city of Flint, Michigan they are experiencing a crisis—their entire water supply has been contaminated. Since April 2014, after the city changed its water source from the treated Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to water straight from the Flint River, this has exposed the public to great health risks. The heavy lead contamination within the river has been leached from aging pipes and into the water supply, making it dangerous for consumption and use. The NAACP, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, has stated that they will give 30 days for the problem to be fixed. If the people of Flint speak out and engage in “civil disobedience” after no progress with the situation in the next 30 days, then it will result in the issue being fixed faster. Clean drinking water should not be a problem in the U.S. in this day of age, and it is a shame that it has come down to this in Michigan. In early 2014, Flint made the decision two years ago to switch the water supply to the local water source to save over five million dollars in a two-year period, due to a financial calamity. Unfortunately, things did not work out that way. Two years later, the entire water supply is going to cost over forty-five million dollars to repair and clean from lead contamination caused from aging pipes. A city that has already suffered from poverty and crime now doesn’t have access to safe drinking water. If the state invested $100 a...

Words: 1506 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Water Crisis: Drinking Water In Flint, Michigan

...You know how everyone takes a shower every day? You know how everyone drinks water everyday? In America, we use water every single day. We use water to bath ourselves, cook, clean, drink, hydrate our animals and so much more. Water is impossible to live without, no hesitation about the topic. If a certain town didn’t have water, it would be impossible to live in that certain town. Recently in Flint, Michigan, a lead water crisis has broke out. According to sources, this water crisis occurred in April 2014. Ever since a change in sources treated from Lake Huron water to the Flint River, the city’s drinking water built up several problems such as lead contamination. This caused a serious health danger to the city’s population. Since there...

Words: 388 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Summary: The Current Flint Water Crisis

...condition that Flint is undergoing, it’s very dangerous, after Flint’s switched water supply to save some money, residents started to notice the water was yellow and it smelled like ewer. Residents were told that this was the result of getting used to the new water system and that it was safe. “The Flint water is highly corrosive: 19 times more so than the Lake Huron Supply, according to researcher from Virginia Tech.” “According to a class-action lawsuit, the state Department Environmental Quality wasn’t treating the Flint River water with an anti-corrosive agent, in violation of federal law.” Residents started to complain, their water was brown and some people developed rushed, become sick. The city and state officials told “people to bowl their water before drinking it” which was a mistake which can actually increase the level of lead. Describe how the current Flint water crisis came about....

Words: 619 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Satire on Flint Water Crisis

...news. The article titled EPA Urges Flint Residents To Stop Dumping Tap Water Down Drain, was published to The Onion on April 28, 2016 to mock the heavily publicized water crisis in Flint, Michigan. The Onion criticizes the governmental lack of concern for their people by creating a “government on the losing end” situation. In some satires, it may be said that over exaggerations are made in an attempt to point out major flaws within the situation, but this is not the case within this article. First is point about the health and safety risks for the infrastructure and ecosystem, and it is directly related to public health and safety. Having water coming from the river was detrimental to both humans and the piping in Flint, as the high levels of chlorine and lime created a chemical reaction within the lead pipes. This goes hand in hand with the disposal of the tap water, where the article states that “the waste treatment facilities are not capable of purifying the corrosive liquid..” The same was true in Flint, as the waste treatment plants were only putting lime into the water in an attempt to make it softer, which could have possibly made the lead situation worse. Second is the press release statement to alert everyone in Flint of the issue. It took a very long time for anyone in Flint to become aware of the situation, and public officials continued to brush off the problem until a doctor stepped up. Point three is the advice to store water away from children and pets. This is...

Words: 1117 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Flint Water Crisis Analysis

...On January 16, 2016, the city of Flint, Michigan was declared in a state of emergency after it was discovered that the city’s water contained dangerous amounts of lead. After a switch in water supply in April 2014, the number of children in Flint with elevated lead levels in their blood nearly doubled from 2013 to 2015 (Newland 2016). The Flint water crisis attracted national attention and led to a class-action lawsuit filed by city residents. Many Americans were shocked that the land of opportunity could fail the residents of Flint so badly. Many also pointed out that such a problem would not be likely in a more affluent area of the United States. While the United States is not lacking in quality water, the infrastructure delivering water...

Words: 874 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Flint Water Crisis Analysis

...throughout history government corruption has been present in numerous countries over the world. Before April 25, 2014, the city of Flint, Michigan acquired their main source of water from Detroit’s water system. However, on the 25th, the city started importing water from the Flint River nearby. This would result in one of the most devastating water crises that the United States has ever seen, filled with scandal, protests, devastating health effects and even federal involvement. The government officials involved in the Flint Water Crisis need to be held more accountable as the catastrophe was a result of their disregard for standard protocol. In order to help the people affected, the local along with the federal government should...

Words: 986 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Flint Water Crisis Analysis

...Take a moment and think about the last major crisis that the world took notice of: a terrorist attack or a bombing incident, a school shooting or mass massacre, a political scandal or signs of budding unrest. Now, take a moment and consider how long the world stopped to take notice. In a world filled with frenzied media, trending topics, and news manipulated by fear, it is easy to get caught up in the buzz. The collective mind of modern society jumps from one crisis to another, casting aside old news as soon as the shock value begins to wear off. But this whirlwind of sensationalism has the potential to seriously impact the way the world at large views and responds to crises. Consider, for example, the Flint Water Crisis of 2014. If you were to ask a random person on the street in any given area that was not in or around Flint, Michigan, they would more than likely tell you that the crisis ended a few short months after it began, in April of 2014. This could not be further from the truth. As of January 19th, 2017, Flint had been without clean water for 1,000 days....

Words: 573 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Case Study: The West Flint Water Crisis

...Hunter has lived in Flint, Michigan, for the better part of 60 years, but recently things have changed. "You feel like sitting ducks here," said Hunter, a co-owner of the West Flint Flower Shop. She's not referring to the threat of guns or terrorists: Flint residents are afraid of their water. High levels of lead have plagued Flint's municipal water supply for at least a year, prompting extensive emergency measures to keep residents safe. Flint returning to Detroit water amid lead concerns On Tuesday, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder declared a state of emergency for Genesee County as a result of the water crisis. The U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Michigan is also investigating, office spokeswoman Gina Balaya...

Words: 811 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Cyber-Bullying

... Sarah Seeley Comp 101 2/22/16 Flint Michigan Lead Exposure (Environmental Racism) The water crisis in Flint, Michigan is instance of environmental racism, because if it were a higher economic, non-minority group of people, this case wouldn’t even be taking place. This issue could have been prevented years ago if not prevented then at least worked on. Imagine if it were New York City? with a more diverse and stable group of individuals. According to the Detroit Free Press majority of all the Flint residents paid water rates. Flint residents paid the highest water rates in America even as their water was tainted with lead, according to a national study released Tuesday by the public interest group Food and Water Watch. A survey of the 500 largest water systems in the country, conducted last year, found that on average, Flint residents paid about $864 a year for water service, nearly double the national average and about three-and-a-half times as much as Detroiters pay. The figure is based on an annual household consumption of 60,000 gallons. Ailene Butler an African activist who lived in Flint for 18-20 years was asked, “why she and her neighbors had not moved away,” Butler pointed out that discriminatory real estate practices particularly redlining had trapped black people in the North End.” So even the residents wanted to escape they were financially trapped. According to the LA times, the flint toxic water crisis was 50 years in the making. Likewise, with...

Words: 1346 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Tap Water Crisis

...have you ever wondered if different authors writing about the same topic had different points of view. Comparing the points of view of the authors of for the World's Poor ,Drinking Water can kill and After Pollution in Flint, Some find Tap Waterś Benefits Hard to Swallow is the purpose of this response. In these pieces, there are many facts presented about water crisis. The points of view represented in these two texts had more commonalities than variances. These readings explore the topic of water crisis. The points of view represented in for the Worldś Poor, Drinking Water can Kill and After Pollution in Flint, some find Tap Waterś Benefits hard to swallow have many similarities. Like both present problems with drinking water....

Words: 279 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Erin Brockovich

...given current environmental crises like global warming and municipal water system failures. The common theme of corrupt corporations seeking to make money at the expense of human health continues to play out on a national and global scale. Erin Brockovich sheds light on the public health issue of clean drinking water, something most view as a human right. It’s a film that many can relate to and can serve as a case study in Environmental Law and Public Health. Purpose of the Film The exact details which reveal why the film was made are unclear. Erin Brockovich mentions being approached by a writer and film studio in the 1990s, however, there is no mention of why they chose to tell her story. One can assume the writer and film studio felt the David and Goliath story of a small town legal secretary taking on a large corporation, was worthy of dramatizing. Their hunch was correct and the film was nominated for an Academy Award. Appropriate Audience This film would suit a wide range, from teens to the 60 plus crowd. There is some swearing so it's not appropriate for children; parents will have to decide if it's ok for their teenage children. Erin Brockovich is a great case study for those studying environmental law or public health. It’s also relevant to anyone studying business or ethics. The science has been called into question, yet the fundamentals of leading an inquiry into a community's drinking water remain relevant today. Public Health Issue Given recent developments...

Words: 1257 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Communicaand Crisis Paper

...Communication and Crisis Paper Tara Littleton HCS/320 1/18/16 Ann Maleta Communication and Crisis Paper Official reports indicate that the public water supplies in several different towns in the area are contaminated with a biological agent that is life threatening. Being the director of the Emergency Management Office, there has to be a contingency plan put into place within the office’s organization and with the public without creating a widespread panic. Knowing the situations in the past, the issues have to be dealt with immediately. Doing research and using the information from the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor malfunction in 1979, will help to know how to respond to this disaster. Even though there were no deaths or injuries from this particular incident, it drew a lot of media attention and created great concern within the local area and surrounding areas. The major forms of communication used in this situation were three major television networks and the local radio stations. Also, there was another situation in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina went through New Orleans and left it devastated. Many of the local citizens and their families were affected and most of them...

Words: 1488 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Drought

...2080s) and less in summer (up to 29 per cent less by 2080s). This means storing water, at every level from major reservoirs to water butts in the garden, becomes more important. London experienced water shortages during the 2003 heat wave and in 2006 from increasing water demand following two dry winters (2004-05). The threat of future water shortage is a serious issue for London as demand increases, due to increasing population, per capita consumption and higher temperatures, while climate change will increase the seasonality of water supply. Securing sustainable water sources, reducing losses and improving the city’s domestic and commercial water efficiency are essential to adapting London to climate change. Heat wave ‘may cause drought in London’ Londoners have been warned they could face a drought if the heat wave continues, despite the recent installation of wastewater plant. The Environment Agency announced its concern that the hot weather could result in a drought after it would be increasing monitoring for pollution leaks in rivers to prevent water supplies from dying out. According to Met Office, temperatures could reach 31 degrees Celsius in some areas of the country this weekend. Head of water resources at the Environment Agency Trevor Bishop said: “Our challenge during drought is to balance the needs of people, business and the environment, making sure there us enough water for everyone.” London, which has enjoyed a long stint of the hot weather, is...

Words: 298 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Land

...Overpopulation has a definite effect on a country’s economy. First of all, when countries are overpopulated, the hardly have enough food to support themselves, never mind the hope of having a surplus to sell. This can contribute to a low GDP per Capita which is effect overpopulation has on the economy. And of course the Government will attempt to save the people from the starvation, the government will most likely have to rely on foreign debt. This puts the country in debt at stretches the government’s already meagre resources. . Furthermore, when a country is overpopulated, there is a high rate of unemployment because there just aren’t enough jobs to support the population and in this kind of scenario the Government will suffer simply because the taxes that maybe collected by Government will be lesser and it will affect the economy. How the Over Population affect the economy of the Philippines? Why we still suffering in this kind of situation, Over population of the Philippines is one of the biggest factor why we still suffering in this kind of economic problems, we have some features here like the lack of discipline in our observation we saw that those family who belong in “LOW CLASS FAMILY” have more children compare for those family in “MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY” and HIGH CLASS FAMILY. This is the one observation proofing that lack of knowledge is one cause why still the population of the Philippines is still in rising. A family is a socially recognized unit of people...

Words: 899 - Pages: 4