Doctor Who Helped Expose Flint's Water Crisis Looks For Solutions

Councilman Chris Seelbach said he will ask the administration for a report on Greater Cincinnati Water Works compliance with all state and federal requirements pertaining to water and infrastructure quality.

Flood, a former prosecutor now in private practice, says he has given money to Democrats, too, and such contributions will have no bearing on his ability to conduct an impartial investigation. It could focus on whether environmental laws were broken or if there was official misconduct in the process that left Flint's drinking water contaminated.

It cost $12 million to switch Flint back to the Detroit water system in October after a local pediatrician released a study showing that the number of children with elevated blood-lead levels had doubled from 2.1 to four percent. Those lawyers who did sue are pursuing "creative arguments" in an effort to defeat immunity, the story says.

According to the complaint, Khouri oversees and manages the city's operations while it remains under state control, the advisory board must approve city contracts and budget amendments including those related to operations of the water system and Henderson and the city are operators of the water system under federal law.

The suit, filed by the Concerned Pastors for Social Action, the ACLU of MI, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., and Melissa Mays, a Flint resident, was filed in the U.S. District Court in Detroit.

Flint residents coping with lead contamination will be cleared to drink unfiltered water again only when outside experts determine it is safe, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said Wednesday, acknowledging their mistrust of government officials while saying a full replacement of the city's pipes is not imminent.

Flint has since returned to buying water from Detroit. Meanwhile, government officials are still pointing figures and trying to figure out which state or local agency screwed up and allowed city residents to consume toxic water for months.

"All eyes are on Detroit and Flint now: We live in a developed country, developed cities, but we're living in Third World conditions", Beulah Walker, chief coordinator of the nonprofit Detroit Water Brigade, which gives out bottled water to those who need it, told the Detroit News.

Snyder continues to face criticism for an initially slow response to the Flint water crisis and some subsequent steps, including the recent hiring of two public relations firms that he is paying through an outside tax-exempt, nonprofit fund.

Wal-Mart, Coca-Cola, Nestle and PepsiCo said Tuesday that they will donate up to 6.5 million bottles of water to schoolchildren in Flint, Mich., to help with the public health emergency caused by the city's lead-tainted water.

After learning about the crisis in Flint, however, Roehre said it was important "to get kids talking".

A coalition of activists filed a new action in federal court Wednesday morning, asking a judge to rule that MI has repeatedly violated the Safe Drinking Water Act and to order the state to quickly replace all lead service lines in Flint.

■Ensuring Flint has all of the professional assistance necessary to operate its water system safely.

In April 2014, the city of Flint changed its drinking water source from treated Lake Huron water to water from the Flint River.

Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette announced January 15 that he launched an investigation of his own into the city's water woes, stating "In 21st century America, no one should have to fear something as basic as turning on the kitchen faucet".

Flint Family of Seven Forced to Cook, Bathe With Bottled Water
Instead, Flint is focusing on providing bottled water to its residents, many of whom live in low-income communities. Governor Rick Snyder has appointed "emergency managers" to govern many MI cities, including Detroit and Flint .