Editor's Note: Today and tomorrow we will bring you stories related to the water crisis in Flint, MI. The high levels of lead has created a host of problems. Today's post, by News Team Member Hannah Heitz, will focus on providing some background to the issue. Tomorrow, Dr. Matthew Gribble from the Rollins School of Public Health will provide a more in depth analysis of the effects of high levels of lead in children.
Something in the Water
By: Hannah Heitz
Flint, Michigan switched its water supply from lake water to river water in 2014 to save money. Since then, lead has been seeping into the water. It was not a subtle change; according to reports, residents noticed a reduction in water quality immediately, but no one listened to the complaints. The river water caused nineteen times more lead to leak out of the pipes into the water supply as compared to levels when lake water was used before the change. The greatest problem with the change—no one monitored pipe corrosion levels. For the past two years, the population of Flint has suffered the consequences. On January 16, President Obama declared an official state of emergency.
Source: Wikipedia, The Flint River in Flint, MI
The state of Michigan has a history of local government corruption--from the movie-like stories of former Detroit mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, to recent sex scandals. Unfortunately, the Flint water crisis will have negative effects that will negatively effect an entire generation of children. In October 2015, pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha noticed increased lead levels in the blood of her patients, and has been speaking out about the issue that remained unaddressed for so long. Childhood lead poisoning has effects that can last a lifetime. The city has gone back to lake water but the danger is not gone. As Dr. Hanna-Attisha explains, the pipes no longer have a barrier to prevent lead leakage, which results in increased lead levels no matter the water source.
Childhood lead poisoning has both physical and cognitive effects. Parents describe a lack of physical growth and cognitive delays in children, which will have a cascadinge effect on their future development, such as decreased growth and lower IQ.[1] Aims are now focused on minimizing damage; good nutrition can decrease absorption of toxins like lead, so diets high in vitamin C, iron, and calcium are recommended. This advice seems simple, but Flint has little access to grocery stores—another burden on the poverty-stricken community.[2]
Childhood lead poisoning has both physical and cognitive effects. Parents describe a lack of physical growth and cognitive delays in children, which will have a cascadinge effect on their future development, such as decreased growth and lower IQ.[1] Aims are now focused on minimizing damage; good nutrition can decrease absorption of toxins like lead, so diets high in vitamin C, iron, and calcium are recommended. This advice seems simple, but Flint has little access to grocery stores—another burden on the poverty-stricken community.[2]
Source: Flickr, Michigan State Police Emergency Management
Help at the state level has come too late, and since the crisis has been deemed an emergency, FEMA has begun sending out National Guard troops delivering fresh water, test kits, and water filters and will continue doing so for the next three months. With such irreversible damage to hundreds of Flint residents, many are calling for Michigan Governor Rick Snyder to resign. Currently, investigations are underway to explore the decisions that led to the switch and subsequent lack of testing. Most recently, the FBI has joined the investigation and the U.S. House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a hearing today. Regardless, criminal responsibility is difficult to apply in cases related to U.S. environmental law.
If you are interested in contributing to aid during the crisis, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1686655274953096/
Note: the deadline to contribute is February 8, 2016
If you are interested in contributing to aid during the crisis, please visit:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1686655274953096/
Note: the deadline to contribute is February 8, 2016
References:
1. Landrigan, P. J., Schechter, C. B., Lipton, J. M., Fahs, M. C., & Schwartz, J. (2002). Environmental pollutants and disease in American children: estimates of morbidity, mortality, and costs for lead poisoning, asthma, cancer, and developmental disabilities. Environmental health perspectives,110(7), 721.
2. Kant, A. K. (2003). Reported consumption of low-nutrient-density foods by American children and adolescents: nutritional and health correlates, NHANES III, 1988 to 1994. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine,157(8), 789-796.
1. Landrigan, P. J., Schechter, C. B., Lipton, J. M., Fahs, M. C., & Schwartz, J. (2002). Environmental pollutants and disease in American children: estimates of morbidity, mortality, and costs for lead poisoning, asthma, cancer, and developmental disabilities. Environmental health perspectives,110(7), 721.
2. Kant, A. K. (2003). Reported consumption of low-nutrient-density foods by American children and adolescents: nutritional and health correlates, NHANES III, 1988 to 1994. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine,157(8), 789-796.
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