THE FLINT WATER CRISIS: A UNIVERSITY-CITY PARTNERSHIP

The Flint Water Crisis: A Time line of Events November 2011: State of Michigan declares a financial emergency for the City of Flint. 1st of three Emergency Managers are appointed by Governor Snyder to run the City. The Mayor and City Council lose all authority to govern. April 2013: In order to save money, Flint joins a new water authority that will get water from Lake Huron rather than Detroit. The new water source is expected to be available in three years. April 25, 2014: The city begins using water from the Flint River until the pipeline from Lake Huron can be completed. May 2014: Complaints about the new water start coming in from local residents. August 15, 2014: A boil advisory is issued in parts of the city after water tests positive for E. coli bacteria. October 13, 2014: The Flint General Motors plant refuses to use the river water because it’s rusting car parts so the city arranges for the company to tap into a different water line. The residents of Flint still have to drink the river water.

The Flint Water Crisis: A Time line of Events January 4, 2015: The city announces that Flint’s water contains such a high level of trihalomethanes, a disinfectant byproduct. Though it’s in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act, Officials say residents with normal immune systems have nothing to worry about. February 2015: ‣ A consultant hired by the city of Flint to investigate the water quality says the water is safe to drink despite the presence of sediment and discoloration. ‣ A manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tells Michigan officials that the chemistry of the river water means contaminants from pipes, including lead, are leaching into the water system. ‣ Flint tells its residents it has flunked the Safe Drinking Water Act again because of the disinfectants. April 2015: Flint tells its residents it has flunked the Safe Drinking Water Act again because of the disinfectants.

The Flint Water Crisis: A Time line of Events October 2015 ‣ State officials announce that a new analysis of their data shows more children have lead in their blood since the water switch. ‣ Gov. Snyder announces the state will buy water filters and test lead in schools. Within a week, he recommends that Flint go back to using water from Detroit. ‣ Flint switches back to Detroit water. Jan 2016: ‣ Snyder declares a state of emergency in Flint. The Department of Justice opens an investigation into the issue. ‣ Gov. Snyder calls out to the National Guard to distribute bottled water and filters in Flint. ‣ The crisis expands to include Legionnaires’ disease. Officials reveal a spike in cases, including 10 deaths, after the city started using river water. ‣ President Barack Obama signs an emergency declaration and orders federal aid for Flint. ‣ Snyder admits in an interview with the National Journal that Flint could be his Hurricane Katrina saying, “It’s a disaster.”

The University of Michigan-Flint’s Response October 2015: Hosted the City of Flint’s first distribution of water filters for city residents. In four hours, 3,000 filters were distributed. January 2016: UM-Flint’s GIS Mapping center analyzed the City of Flint’s water infrastructure and identifying problems. Taking data from the Flint Water department and transferring notations into the GIS Mapping program. Information was stored on 45,000 index cards. Nov 2015-Jan 2016: UM-Flint’s Public Health and Health Science department provided free courses for the community about the Flint Water Crisis. Topics included: ‣ What happened? How did we get here? ‣ Where our water comes from and why it matters? ‣ Public Health and water safety ‣ Defining “healthy” water: A look at the regulations ‣ Water as a political issue ‣ The health implications of the Flint water crisis ‣ Why money matters: How economics impact water

The University of Michigan-Flint’s Response Dec 2015-Present: UM-Flint’s Nursing faculty and students are providing free lead screening until 100% of at-risk children are tested. Jan 2016: Our expert health and safety staff, as well as faculty, serve on a number of community boards that have been leading voices in identifying and responding to the water crisis. Jan 2016: All three University of Michigan campuses have come together to provide faculty expertise and President Mark Schlissel has provided $100,000 in seed funding for university/community research initiatives. Jan 2016-Present: Providing space to Governor Snyder’s bi-weekly meetings on campus dedicated to the Flint Water Crisis. April 2016: Healthy Flint Research Coordinating Center established. Brings together the Community Based Organization Partners, UM-Flint, UM-Ann Arbor and Michigan State University. Will serve as a central coordinating center for each university and community organizations to connect and partner.

Community Foundation of Greater Flint Due to the outpouring of support from across the world, the CFGF set up a new endowment fund called “Flint Kids”. To date, the fund has raised nearly $7 million in donations. Over $773,000 in grants have already been made. The fund will be used for the following: ‣ Crisis response ‣ Optimal child health & development ‣ Early childhood education ‣ Continuous access to a pediatric medical home ‣ Access to infant and child behavioral health services ‣ Nutrition education ‣ Healthy food access ‣ Safe & healthy home environments ‣ Integrated social services ‣ Research

Governor Snyder’s Flint Water Response Team Since January 2016: 1,379,822 cases of bottled water 122,259 water filters 266,385 replacement cartridges 50,133 water testing kits Mobile Food banks are canvassing Flint neighborhoods providing fresh fruit and vegetables. Community Water Resource Locations: there are five strategic scattered water resource locations throughout the city in which residents can stop by and pickup cases of water, water filters, replacement cartridges, water testing kits and drop of the water testing kits.

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