"ScrAPES #19- How Tap Water became toxic in Flint"

Article- How Tap Water became toxic in Flint, Sara Ganim and Linh Tran, 1/13/2016, http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/health/toxic-tap-water-flint-michigan/

Topic: Water Pollution 

Summary:
     During a financial state of emergency, the state decided to save money by switching Flint's water supples from Lake Huron to Flint River, which is dirty. As a result to the change, the residents did not have clean water due to the high iron content found in their new water supply. The state Department of Environmental Quality did not treat the Flint River water with an anti-corrosive agent which caused lead to also leach into the water supply. This problem has been going on for nearly 2 years. The city and state officials decided to reassure the worried residents that "everything was fine" by having Flint Mayor Walling drinking the water on TV to prove a point. The residents where kept in the dark for 18 months without understanding what was happening, and not knowing the consequences that came from drinking the contaminated water. A local doctor spoke up about the health issues that came from lead poisoning in the contaminated water: rashes, hair loss, and high blood lead levels, especially in toddlers, leading to lifelong consequences. In October, the city switched back to using Lake Huron water supplies; however, the damage was already done to the lead pipes. Everyone is blaming the state Department of Environmental Quality; they are being investigated. 
     I chose this article because I wanted to understand what was happing to the water supply in Flint. What I found upsetting is the fact that the state decided to switch Flint's water supplies even after they knew the water was filthy. The thing that I did not know is that lead poisoning lead to major health problems.
    This article is important to environmental science because pollution is becoming a major issue that is caused by us. Water pollution is not good for the environment and people. Our next step is to improve Flint by making it more safe and establish new homes, clean water, jobs, and markets because the city is going through tough times and is being abandoned. We should now focus in ways to prevent tragedies like this from happening, and try to stop pollution.