WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th January, 2021) Charges being filed against former state authorities responsible for the lethal water pollution crisis in Flint, Michigan is a long overdue development considering residents are still dying while the impact of the poisoning is more devastating than officially recognized, local activists told Sputnik.
On Thursday, Michigan prosecutors indicted nine former officials and employees in connection with the Flint water crisis. Most notably, former Health Director Nicolas Lyon and Chief Medical Executive Eden Wells were charged with manslaughter and former Governor Rick Snyder with willful neglect of duty.
While serving as governor in 2014, Snyder authorized switching Flint's source of water from Lake Huron to the Flint River. Soon after, residents began complaining about the water's foul taste and color but authorities stonewalled for a year before being forced to admit that there was a problem. Experts say the contaminated water led to the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, a severe form of pneumonia caused by bacteria that thrive in warm water, which killed 12 people.
The residents of Flint, a majority-Black city of just under 100,000 in Genesse County, have struggled for more than six years to recover from the crisis, relying on bottled water while property values have plummeted.
Activist Arthur Woodson, a Flint native and resident, is elated that Snyder is finally being held responsible for his actions but said the crisis is not over.
"We have people dying here. Genesee County has the highest rate of cancers in state. And inside, Flint also has the highest rate," Woodson said. "There's more than just lead in the water. They dictated a narrative to make us think that it was only lead in the water but there is P5, E-coli, PTHM, all different types of things running through the pipes."
Although unsure if and how he's been affected, Woodson said troubling symptoms have been detected.
"Doctors said I have nodules on my lungs and it's showing up in other people," he said.
LaTricia "Tricey" Adams, founder of BlackMillennials4Flint, said more than a few Flint residents are skeptical that Snyder would be charged.
"It's really heartbreaking that it's been this long and there are still so many questions left unanswered. There are a lot of layers," Adams said. "They're almost done replacing pipes - but there are still issues... like indoor plumbing, shower and appliances. None of those things were taken into consideration. There's quite a lot of concern about inside systems still having lead."
Although Governor Gretchen Whitmer last month authorized $641 million in settlement funds for victims of the crisis, Woodson said the money will not go far enough or take care of the myriad needs of children whose health has been compromised by the presence of lead in their bodies.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even marginal lead exposure can cause behavioral and cognitive problems, including an increased tendency to exhibit violent behavior. Children affected by lead poisoning are seven times more likely to end up as a high school dropout and six times more likely to become involved in the juvenile justice system. And the impact of lead exposure is irreversible.
Woodson said there are "serious mental frustrations," as a result of this travesty.
"We have been affected financially, mentally and emotionally," he concluded.
