Another Contaminated Water Story
By: Hazel Fitzpatrick
In the last post of this series, we explored how Hurricane Katrina revealed the unequal impacts of disaster response. Katrina showed what happens when communities of color are placed at greater risk and then forgotten in the moment they most need help. The Flint water crisis is another example of environmental racism but through a very different tragedy.
Flint, Michigan is roughly 70 miles northwest of Detroit, Michigan. Flint used to be a major automobile manufacturing city, but after decades of factories closing down unemployment began to rise, ultimately causing shrinking tax revenue. Today, more than half of Flint’s residents are Black and many live in poverty. This context matters because, as discussed in past blog posts, environmental injustice often hits low-income communities and communities of color.
The crisis began in 2014 when officials decided to switch Flint’s water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River to cut down costs. The purpose of the decision was to save money, but the water was not treated properly to be safe drinking water. Without the proper treatment, the water began wearing away at the city’s old lead pipes. Residents’ noticed their tap water turned brown and the odor and taste had worsened. Even as families raised concerns, officials continued to insist the water was safe to drink.
Flint residents didn’t trust the government’s assurances about the water safety and worked together with scientists who began independent testing on the water. The community came together and protested the government’s original decision to switch the water source, which brought nation-wide awareness. The independent studies came back, showing that the lead levels had surpassed the safe levels. Unfortunately, the damage to community members of drinking lead-contaminated water was already done.
Restoring the pipes throughout the city took several years, in part due to the government’s lack of funding. Throughout this time, the community was still exposed to the contaminated water. The Flint water crisis became a widely known example of environmental racism and government negligence. Many argued that if Flint was a wealthy white community, the government would have prioritized safety.
Despite this crisis beginning back in 2014 we still see the dangerous effects of it today. The health risks still are impacting residents of Flint with a 2019 study revealing one in five children qualify for special education, an over 50% increase from the previous year. Children who were toddlers during the crisis will now face a lifetime of challenges that could have been prevented.
The Flint water crisis sparked national outrage as it showed that access to safe water is not just a resource issue but rather an equity issue. The Flint water crisis reminds us that public health cannot depend on government budget decisions. Protecting a community means valuing them enough to invest in their safety first.
Learn More About This Topic:
60 Minutes: The legacy of the Flint water crisis
PBS Frontline Video: Flint Water Crisis Continues its Deadly Toll Five Years After It Began | FRONTLINEArticle:https://www.cdc.gov/casper/php/publications-links/flint-water-crisis.html