Chemical Pollution, Flint Water Crisis

In 2014, Flint, Michigan switched its water supply from Detroit's system to the Flint River. “The switch was made as a cost-saving measure for the struggling, majority-black city. Soon after, residents begin to complain about the water's color, taste and odor, and to report rashes and concerns about bacteria.” The untreated, corrosive Flint River water caused lead from aging pipes to leach into the water supply, causing extremely elevated levels of lead. It is believed 8,000 children under 6 have been exposed to lead in Flint's water and they “may have suffered irreversible damage to their developing brains and nervous systems from exposure to lead.”