Impoverished city, where 41 percent of the 100,000 residents live at or below the poverty line
A state-appointed emergency manager was put in place in 2011 to help save money, and one solution was to find a cheaper water source
Plans were made to join a new water system that would supply tap water from Lake Huron at a better price
Project wouldn’t be completed until 2016
In April 2014, the city was switched to the local Flint River as a temporary water source
EFFECTS?
People in Rust Belt city have been consuming tap water contaminated with lead
Lead is a powerful neurotoxin which can produce lifelong health effects, and developing children who are exposed are at risk of brain damage, behavioral problems and learning disabilities.