Water expert says high Flint readings no surprise

“With all the information we have to date, the city is at no risk”, said Josh Snyder, public works director.

“This shouldn’t happen anywhere in MI”, he said.

He called for the removal and potential prosecution of Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, who has come under withering criticism for his response to the crisis, and insisted that while MI should pay for the fallout, the recovery should be managed by the federal government and FEMA.

One Dennis Lennox, a former drain commissioner in Cheboygan, Mich., disseminated a column claiming that “the lion’s share of responsibility rests with the city”, and that Flint City Council authorized a switch to the toxic river water.

Just days earlier, the city had warned sick and elderly residents of potentially harmful chemicals in the water.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder says he’s still focused on resolving Flint’s crisis with lead-tainted drinking water, despite hecklers and other vocal critics. But once it exits city pipes, it may travel through lead pipes to people’s homes. “Copper can leach from plumbing in the same way”, Schaffer added.

Many believe that the state was deliberately ignoring the basic needs of the city because sixty percent of the residents are black.

How often is the water tested? .

Sodium hydroxide increases the pH of the water so that it has less potential to be corrosive, Schaffer said. “And the lead in the plumbing fixtures starts leaching into the water”. From there, it flows into the St. Paul Regional Water Services’ treatment plant by underground pipe, where it is filtered and disinfected per regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency. For that reason, there are government officials who should be behind lead bars. “We have a situation where people can not drink the water coming out of the tap”. The rules should be stringent enough to ensure that all cities get an early warning when lead levels rise to the danger point.

The city has hired Edwards to oversee water testing. “The most recent testing occurred in the summer of 2013″, Schaffer said. At 24 of the homes, lead was not detected in the water. “So 150 parts per billion is 10 times that level”. Because of this, thousands of tests a month to make sure it’s safe, he said.

Flint residents complained loudly and often about the water quality immediately after the switch but were repeatedly told it was safe.

“It’s important for us to give back, but also support our communities at large – whether they’re in the city of Milwaukee or in the Flint, Michigan area”, said Jermaine Murray, a member of the Milwaukee chapter. In that time, it’s estimated as many as 12,000 children had been exposed to lead poisoning, causing irreversible damage to developing brains and nervous systems. The water was tested by officials before it got to a filter, and Lurie stressed that the results do not mean officials think there’s a problem with the filters.

Along those same lines, Lurie said, children and pregnant women should drink only bottled water.