U8L5 Flint's Water Crisis Flashcards
During economic struggle, how d was Flint, Michigan affected?
Flint, Michigan was once a manufacturing powerhouse and one of the wealthiest cities in the nation. As manufacturing jobs disappeared, so did Flint’s booming economy. Flint’s economic struggles prompted officials appointed by the governor to find ways to save money.
What caused the water to change and suddenly become unsafe?
Flint switched from the Detroit Water and Sewage Agency to taking water from the Flint River. Officials decided to not sufficiently treat the water and it began to cause corrosion in the pipes.
How does lead get into water?
Lead gets into water by leaching (or seeping) out of old plumbing pipes made of lead. The more corrosive the water, the more lead leaches out.
What is Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) limit on lead in water? What levels of lead were detected in households in Flint?
The EPA has set a limit for lead at 15 parts per billion for drinking water. In Flint, lead was found at levels around 104 parts per billion, nearly seven times higher (one household had levels up to 13,200 parts per billion) .
What are some problems associated with lead poisoning in children?
Lead poisoning can lead to a number of problems including developmental delays, learning disabilities, irritability, decrease in appetite, fatigue, abdominal pain, and vomiting.
How did city and state officials respond to reports of high lead levels?
Officials initially denied that there were high lead levels and did not warn residents about the risks.
To save money what did Flint do?
One cost-cutting measure that was identified was to switch Flint off the Detroit Water and Sewage Department system. The city planned to build a new pipeline to connect to another nearby water system, the Karegnondi Water Authority. However, until the pipeline could be completed, the city turned to the Flint River to act as an interim water source. The city began using water from the Flint River on April 25, 2014.
Why was the water not good?
Officials did not immediately treat the water to ensure it didn’t corrode pipes. Due to a high concentration of chloride ions, the Flint River water is 19 times as corrosive as Detroit water.
How did the water in Flint, Michigan affect lives in the area?
The corrosion was so bad that GM stopped using Flint’s water; it caused too much damage on machine parts and engines they were manufacturing. In addition to corroding metal, it also caused rashes and skin irritation for residents who bathed in it.
The chlorine caused another problem: as it interacted with organic matter in the water it produced a by-product called total trihalomethanes (TTHM). Why problem did it caused?
TTHMs are hazardous and some are even known carcinogens (cancer-causing agents).
What were the consequences of the Flint water thing?
There were several consequences of Flint switching to the Flint River for its water supply. The water became harder, which tests showing that water was 70% harder than it was previously. Thousands of children had lead poisoning because lead from the pipes found it’s way into people’s homes. Dozens of people contracted Legionnaire’s disease. People experienced skin irritation from bathing in the water. The water became corrosive because the city increased the chlorine levels to kill the microorganisms.
