“There are no local stories. You pull at the threads of some local headline, there’s almost always something bigger. What you see from your own front porch, it turns out to be the story of all of us.”
-Rachel Maddow [Ph.D., Political Science, University of Oxford], MSNBC International
THM’s are disinfectant byproducts formed when chlorine is used to disinfect water for drinking and result from the reaction of chlorine with the organic matter present in the water such as algae, riverweeds and decaying leaves. The organic matter in water mainly consists of the organic portion of the soil that remains after prolonged microbial decomposition formed by the decay of leaves, wood and other vegetable matter. [18]
One THM, chloroform, once used as an anesthetic during surgery, is formed in swimming pools that are disinfected with chlorine in the reaction with urine, sweat, hair and skin particles. It is volatile and may easily vaporize into the air but are colorless, odorless and tasteless, making it possible to inhale, such as while showering.
Other THM’s are hydrochlorofluorocarbons, or HCFC’s, used as refrigerants and solvents, having replaced chlorofluorocarbons, or CFC’s, such as Freon, phased out under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, a multilateral environmental agreement ratified by 197 countries, all United Nations members, between September 22, 1988 and January 1, 1989. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, THM’s such as chloroform are carcinogenic mutagens that can cause bladder, colon and rectal cancer, kidney and liver damage, kidney and liver toxicity, tumors of the kidney, large intestine and liver, decreased size of the reproductive organs, reproductive problems, birth defects, delays in fetal development and miscarriages. Chloroform anesthesia was associated with heart, lung and nervous system damage, cardiac arrhythmias and respiratory disease. Skin contact with chloroform may cause burning, redness and blistering. United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Microbials and Stage 1 and Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rules Federal Advisory Committee limits total trihalomethanes, or TTHM’s, to eighty parts per billion or 0.080 milligrams per liter. [2]
On January 7, 2015, the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget started shipping in coolers of bottled water for its employees at government offices on each occupied floor of the state office building in Flint. [16]
On February 4, 2015, the son of LeeAnn Walters, a mother of four developed rashes over his entire body; Walters showed the video to the Flint City Council and demanded they test her water for lead. On February 17, 2015, water expert Robert Bowcock, sent by environmental activist Erin Brockovich, called the city to switch back to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. On February 18, 2015, lead levels of 104 parts per billion were detected in Walters’ home.
Public health scientists say there is not safe level for lead and the lead level limit threshold to initiate enforcement action by the Environmental Protection Agency is fifteen parts per billion.
On February 25, 2015, Walters contacted the Chicago offices of Environmental Protection Agency Midwest Water Division Ground Water and Drinking Water Branch Regulations Manager Miguel Del Toral, who warned it may be a sign of systemic lead contamination, calling the results alarming. Walters informed Del Toral that Flint is not adding chemicals like phosphates that prevent old pipes from leaching lead. [17] Del Toral learned that residents’ taps were being pre-flushed for several minutes prior to sampling for water tests, and said that the state was testing the water in a way that could profoundly understate the lead levels.
On March 27, 2015, blood tests revealed that Walters’ four-year-old son Gavin had lead poisoning.
On April 28, 2015, an independent test done by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Charles Lunsford Professor of Civil Environmental Engineering Doctor Marc Edwards [Ph.D., Engineering, University of Washington] without using the pre-flushing technique found lead levels of 13,200 parts per billion at Walters’ home.
Lead levels of 5,000 parts per billion are considered hazardous waste.
On April 29, 2015 Emergency Manager Gerald Ambrose left the emergency manager position as Flint’s financial emergency was declared over and the state lifted Flint’s financial emergency designation.
On September 2, 2015, Virginia Tech Professor of Engineering Edwards determined that Flint River water was nineteen times as corrosive as tap water from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, causing lead to leach into the supply. On September 19, 2015, Edwards finished testing water samples from 300 Flint homes, finding high lead levels across the city, and estimates that one in six Flint homes have elevated lead levels, showing ten percent of homes tested in the city saw an increase in lead after the switch to the Flint River beyond the federal threshold that requires action. [21]
On September 24, 2015, a group of fifty epidemiologists led by Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Human Development Mona Hanna-Attisha [MD, University of Michigan School of Public Health] held a press conference at the Hurley Medical Center in Flint, where Hanna-Attisha is the Directory of the Pediatric Residency Program, urging the City of Flint to stop using the Flint River for water after a study finds high lead levels in the blood of children. [12] Hanna-Attisha went public with her research showing that the percentage of Flint children under five years old with elevated lead levels has tripled from 2.1% prior to the switch in water supply and says lead is a neurotoxin that affects children in a life altering way with future issues like Special Ed and ADHD. [4]
On October 1, 2015, City of Flint officials urged residents to stop drinking the water after government epidemiologists with the Department of Health and human Services validate the results and confirm the findings of Doctor Hanna-Attisha’s study of high lead levels and the Genesee County Health Department declares a public health emergency.
In November 3, 2015, Flint Mayor Dayne Walling lost his reelection bid. Voters elected Democrat Doctor Karen Weaver [Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Michigan State University], Mott Children’s Health Center Director of Behavioral Services, over the incumbent.
On January 4, 2016, the Genesee County Commission declared a state of emergency. On January 5, 2016, Michigan Governor Richard Snyder declared a state of emergency for Genesee County, which includes the City of Flint.
The same day, federal officials confirm that the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit is working with the Environmental Protection Agency on an investigation of the situation. [3]
On January 7, 2016, the Chief Medical Executive of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, University of Michigan School of Public Health Clinical Associate Professor Doctor Eden Wells [MD, Ohio State University College of Medicine] advised Flint resident to use only bottled or filtered water until further notice. [19]
On January 14, 2016, Michigan Governor Richard Snyder asked the Obama for a major disaster declaration for Genesee County, to declare a federal emergency in Flint and for more federal financial aid for emergency assistance and infrastructure repair in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of Flint residents under the United States Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency’s individuals and Households Program, which provides housing assistance and replacement of personal property. On January 16, 2016, President of the United States Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in the city and surrounding county, freeing up $5 million dollars in federal relief, but declined to declare a natural disaster. [7]
On January 21, 2016, United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Regina McCarthy accepted the resignation of EPA Midwest Division Region 5 Administrator Susan Hedman, whose area of responsibility included Flint, effective February 1, 2016, and asked the Environmental Protection Agency Inspector General to conduct a thorough independent look at the effectiveness of Hedman’s oversight of public water systems. [20] The United States Environmental Protection Agency issued an Emergency Order to take action on the Flint water crisis.
On January 25, 2016, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette began the independent investigation he announced he had opened on January 15, 2016. [15]
On March 21, 2016, the Flint Water and Advisory Task Force, the governor-appointed panel charged with investigating the causes of the Flint water crisis, found in its final report that the state of Michigan, the Michigan Department of Environmental quality, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Governor’s office and the state-appointed Emergency Managers bear primary responsibility for the water crisis because of decisions made by environmental regulators. [13]
On April 20, 2016, Michigan Attorney General William Shuette announced that Stephen Busch of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality would face criminal felony charges of misconduct in office, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, felony tampering with evidence, a treatment violation of the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act of 1976 and a monitoring violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. [1][5][8][9][10][14]
On July 29, 2016, Michigan Attorney General William Schuette announced Michigan Department of Environmental Quality Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance Office Lian Shekter-Smith were charged with misconduct in office, conspiracy to engage in misconduct in office, conspiracy to tamper with evidence, tampering with evidence and willful neglect of duty, a misdemeanor. [6]][11]
- Abrams, Abigail. “Flint Water Crisis Update: Michigan Officials Stephen Busch, Mike Prysby, Mike Glasgow Charged By Judge”, International Business Times. April 20, 2016: http://www.ibtimes.com/flint-water-crisis-update-michigan-officials-stephen-busch-mike-prysby-mike-glasgow-2356658
- Bhardwaj, Vipin. “What is the Disinfection Byproducts Rule?” West Virginia University National Environmental Services Center. Winter 2006: http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/ndwc/articles/OT/WI06/Q&A_OT_W06.pdf
- Botelho, Greg, et al. “Water Crisis in Flint, Michigan Draws Federal Investigation”. CNN. Saturday January 9, 2016: http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/05/health/flint-michigan-water-investigation/
- Cantor, Ilene, et al. “Mona Hanna-Attisha Named One of TIME’s Most Influential People”. Michigan State University. April 21, 2016: http://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2016/mona-hanna-attisha-named-one-of-times-most-influential-people/
- Connor, Tracy, et al. “Failed Us All: 3 Officials Hit With Charges in Flint Water Crisis”. NBC News. April 20, 2016: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/flint-water-crisis/3-officials-charged-over-flint-water-crisis-n559186
- Connor, Tracy, et al. “Six More Officials Charged in Flint Water Crisis for Alleged Cove-Up”. NBC News. July 29, 2016: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/flint-water-crisis/six-more-offcials-charged-flint-water-crisis-alleged-coverup-n619811
- Domonoske, Camila. “Obama Declares State of Emergency Over Flint’s Contaminated Water”. National Public Radio. January 16, 2016: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/16/463319454/obama-declares-state-of-emergency-over-flints-contaminated-water
- Domonoske, Camila, et al. “3 Face Criminal Charges Over Flint Water Crisis”. National Public Radio. April 20, 2016: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/20/474931189/criminal-charges-to-be-filed-in-flint-water-crisis-reports-say
- Ganim, Sarah, et al. “Flint Water Crisis: Who’s Been Charged, Who Hasn’t”. CNN. Friday April 22, 2016: http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/21/us/flint-crisis-who-was-charged/
- Gosk, Stephanie and Johnson, Alex. “Flint Water Crisis: Up to Three Face Criminal Charges”. NBC News. April 20, 2016: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/flint-water-crisis/significant-announcement-coming-wednesday-flint-water-crisis-attorney-general-n558801
- Hersher, Rebecca. “They Failed: 6 More Michigan Employees charged in Flint Water Crisis”. National Public Radio. July 29, 2016: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/07/29/487934982/they-failed-6-more-michigan-employees-charged-in-flint-water-crisis
- Hulett, Sarah. “High Lead Levels in Michigan Kids After City Switches Water Source”. National Public Radio. September 29, 2015: http://www.npr.org/2015/09/29/444497051/high-lead-levels-in-michigan-kids-after-city-switches-water-source
- Kennedy, Marrit. “Independent Investigators: State Officials Mostly to Blame for flint Water Crisis”. National Public Radio. March 23, 2016: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/03/23/471585633/independent-investigators-state-officials-mostly-to-blame-for-flint-water-crisis
- Kennedy, Merrit. “Lead-Laced Water in Flint: A Step-By-Step Look At the Makings of a Crisis”. National Public Radio. April 20, 2016: http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/20/465545378/lead-laced-water-in-flint-a-step-by-step-look-at-the-makings-of-a-crisis
- Lurie, Julia. “A Toxic Timeline of Flint’s Water Fiasco”. Mother Jones Magazine. January 26, 2016: http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2016/01/flint-lead-water-crisis-timeline
- Lurie, Julia. “Long Before Helping Flint, Michigan Officials Were Shipping Clean Water To Their Own Workers”. Mother Jones Magazine. January 28, 2016: http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2016/01/snyder-administration-started-trucking-clean-water-state-buildings
- Lurie, Julia. “Meet the Mom Who Helps Expose Flint’s Toxic Water Nightmare”. Mother Jones Magazine, January 21, 2016: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/01/mother-exposed-flint-lead-contamination-water-crisis
- Madabhushi, Babu. “What Are Trihalomethanes?” West Virginia University National Environmental Services Center. Spring 1999: http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/ndwc/articles/qanda/otsp99_q_a.pdf
- Mellow, Terri. “Eden Wells Appointed Chief Medical Executive of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services”. University of Michigan School of Public Health. April 30, 2015: https://sph.umich.edu/news/releases/04-30-15-eden-wells.html
- Pearce, Matt. “A Man-Made Disaster Unfolded in Flint, within Plain Sight of Water Regulators”. Los Angeles Times. January 22, 2016: http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-flint-water-20160122-story.html
- Srivastava, Rupali. “A House of Horrors: Thousands of Michigan Residents Subject to Contaminated Drinking Water”. Center for American Progress. June 5, 2015: https://thinkprogress.org/a-house-of-horrors-thousands-of-michigan-residents-subject-to-contaminated-drinking-water-5d50b4da2bcb#.f6x38bfsj
