TOPLINE
The state of Michigan has reportedly agreed to a $600 million settlement for tens of thousands of Flint residents who were exposed to lead and other chemicals after the city switched its water supply in a cost-cutting measure that instead created a years-long public health crisis, according to multiple Wednesday night reports.
Volunteers load bottled water in a truck in Flint, Michigan, in February 2016.
KEY FACTS
Flint’s crisis began in 2014, when officials switched the city’s water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River, which was later found to be more corrosive water than Lake Huron’s.
Flint officials failed to add anti-corrosion controls to the treatment of the Flint River water, according to the New York Times, and investigations revealed that lead and other chemicals leached into residents’ drinking water from old pipes in the city’s infrastructure.
As a result, residents said the water had a bad taste and smell, and experienced rashes, hair loss and other ailments, while blood tests of some area children in 2015 revealed high levels of lead.
Thousands of Flint residents have filed lawsuits against Michigan, and the Times reports that some people still use bottled water for bathing, cooking and drinking—despite Flint switching back to Lake Huron water—as distrust in the government remains high.
Around 80% of the $600 million settlement would be allocated for residents who were younger than 18 at the time they were exposed to lead, and more than half of that allocation will be geared towards victims under the age of 6, according to the Washington Post, which says it reviewed a copy of the settlement.
“We and the other parties are bound by a federal court order to maintain the confidentiality of detailed settlement and mediation communications until we reach a certain point,” Ryan Jarvi, a spokesman for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, told the Associated Press, adding that they are not yet ready to publicly address a settlement.
Crucial quote
"Knowing the Flint River water was unsafe for public use, distributing it without taking steps to counter its problems, and assuring the public in the meantime that it was safe is conduct that would alert a reasonable person to the likelihood of personal liability," the 6th Circuit of Appeals held in a 2015 decision siding with Flint residents who sought to bring their case against city officials before the Supreme Court.
Big number
Between 18,000 and 20,000. That’s how many children and teenagers were living in Flint during the water crisis, according to the Post.
What we don’t know
Where the $600 million will come from. According to MLive, Michigan’s state legislature would need to allocate the funds.
Key background
The settlement is expected to be announced as soon as this week, according to CNN. Lead exposure is dangerous to people of all ages. Children, however, are particularly vulnerable. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, low levels of lead exposure in children can cause a range of problems, including behavioral and learning issues, lower IQ, hyperactivity, slowed growth, anemia and hearing loss. In adults, lead exposure can cause cardiovascular problems like hypertension, along with reduced kidney function and reproductive problems.
Tangent
“Flint still doesn’t have clean water” became a common refrain on social media after the city’s crisis gained the national spotlight.
Further reading
Michigan to Pay $600 Million to Victims of Flint Water Crisis (New York Times)
$600 million settlement to be announced for Flint, Mich., water crisis (Washington Post)
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