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The Flint, Michigan Water Crisis

            Hundreds of Flint residents filled the street in front of city hall carrying clear bottles filled with dirty water from their homes' faucets. Chanting "We want answers!," the group rightfully demanded action on the poor water quality found throughout the city. It started about two years ago when the city of Flint switched its water source from Detroit's system to the Flint River as a cost-saving measure for the struggling city. The Flint City Council voted to switch water sources to the more economical Flint River, using an old system with deteriorating pipes and processes. After three boil-water advisories due to high bacteria levels, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issued a governor's statement advising for water treatment to reduce the bacteria. At the same time, General Motors discontinued using Flint water because it caused damage to engine parts. It's outrageous that residents were drinking and bathing in water which was not acceptable for manufacturing plants due to its corrosive qualities. The government's slow reaction to admit or correct the water problem is a reflection of poor leadership and an attempt to cover up their incompetency.
             By February of 2015, a Flint resident notified the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of high lead levels in her home (CNN Library). The ACLU became involved and discovered tests performed by Virginia Tech University and the MDEQ indicating lead levels as high as 13,200 parts per billion (ppb) while the acceptable level is 15 ppb. It was determined that deteriorating plumbing fixtures and pipes could not accommodate the highly corrosive water pulled from the Flint River. In October of 2015, the city switched back to the Detroit system for water supply. Not until January of 2016 did the governor declare a state of emergency (CNN Library). The incident attracted national media attention and further intensified Flint's negative reputation as a deteriorating community.


Essays Related to The Flint, Michigan Water Crisis

1. Roger and Me

Once the economic dilemmas of Flint Michigan developed and continued to grow other problems followed. ... So now, all because of Roger Smith's decision to move General Motors" plants Flint Michigan was falling apart. ... The situation of Flint Michigan could have and should have been handled with more care and much more thought. ... It doesn't make any sense for the governing officials to be just as stumped about a major crisis situation as the town's people. ... Therefore, Roger Smith is not the only person to blame for the failings of Flint Michigan. ...

  • Word Count: 1551
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

2. Roger & Me

This documentary is about the town of Flint Michigan, the birth place of General Motors. ... Flint Michigan went from being voted most livable city to worst city to live in. ... I believe the community and city government let the city of Flint Michigan down. ... The community and city leaders let the people of Flint Michigan down. Flint Michigan a tourist attraction, give me a break....

  • Word Count: 382
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Geography and Environmental Racism

Another example of environmental racism in America is in Flint, Michigan. Flint, Michigan's water supply was changed to Flint River and residents began to notice the color and odor that was coming from the water. The water turned out to contain lead. Lead in water can cause learning disabilities. Citizens in this area began to depend more on bottled water, a demand of bottled water increased significantly. ...

  • Word Count: 512
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

4. Roger And Me

Michael Moore grew up in Flint, Michigan. ... General Motors was born in Flint, Michigan. ... Flint, Michigan was in trouble. ... Flint, Michigan now had the highest crime rate in America. ... One of these was, Water Street Pavilion. ...

  • Word Count: 1502
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Roger and Me Analysis

Roger and Me Analysis In this film, Michael Moore is satirizing corporate America, specifically the General Motors scenario in Flint, Michigan, during the late 1980's. ... One scene that utilized juxtaposition and irony was when Miss Michigan participated in a parade in Flint. ... In her interview after the parade, Miss Michigan was asked about the unemployment situation. ... Ironically, shortly after her visit to Flint, Miss Michigan did become Miss America. ... All in all, I believe the film was successful in exposing the situation in Flint, Michigan. ...

  • Word Count: 1134
  • Approx Pages: 5

6. Roger and Me

Roger and Me The Modes Moore Employs Roger and Me is the story of Michael Moore's quest to right the wrong done to Flint, Michigan by Roger Smith, CEO of General Motors. ... GM has been a Flint way of life since the factories first opened. ... The consequences of this shut-down were devastating to Flint. ... First, he uses it to show the way Flint t used to be. ... In Roger and Me, Michael Moore interviews many laid off auto workers, the city council of Flint, Michigan, representatives of upper-class Flint, and in the end, he finally speaks briefly with Roger Smith. ...

  • Word Count: 810
  • Approx Pages: 3

7. Roger & Me

This story shows Michael Moore a Flint Michigan native who is looking for Roger Smith the CEO of General Motors after GM closes 11 plants in Flint and lays off more then 33,000 workers. This story shows the affects that the closing of the Eleven plants has on Flint Michigan's economy as well as the effects on the laid off workers. ... In Flint, domestic violence was at an all time high and other crime as well. ... In this case, for the people in Flint times were especially hard due to the fact this was such a huge impact on the economy in the region because Flint was GM or GM was Fl...

  • Word Count: 1114
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Roger and Me Essay

This plan had a devastating effect on the city of Flint, Michigan. In Flint 30,000 jobs were eliminated. ... Also many people in Flint were being evicted from their homes because they could not afford to pay their rent. In addition Flint had the highest violent crime rate in the nation and became the unemployment capital of the United States. To deal with the effect GM's plan had on them the people of Flint developed several coping strategies. ...

  • Word Count: 387
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Roger & Me

Perhaps workers have more benefits than they did previously, but in Flint, Michigan today, they are battling some of the same problems they did in 1988. ... General Motors was established in Flint, Michigan in 1908. ... This act damaged the city of Flint for many years since most of the city was employed by GM. ... Once again, Flint, Michigan was facing the threat of plants closing. ... Workers in Flint, Michigan feared that GM wanted to export their jobs to Mexico, Thailand, and China, where GM will not have to deal with American unions, will not have to pay good wages, and will not have to f...

  • Word Count: 830
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

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