3 thoughts on “Report of the Joint Select Committee on the Flint Water Emergency

  1. Hello,

    I just returned from doing a presentation on the Environmental Impacts of Winter Maintenance in Madison, Wisconsin yesterday and am very surprised to read these recommendations and see nothing related to the very issue that (no pun intended) precipitated the lead problem in Flint….that being the Flint River chloride.

    While the corrosive effects of the Flint River due to road salt were initially highlighted in the opening salvos, I have read nothing to indicate any further concerns with this problem. This also says nothing to long term impacts on groundwater and what it may mean to potential future problems with infrastructure corrosion or heavy metals mobilization.

    I refuse to believe I am wrong and remain incredulous as to the lack of any mention to this issue. There are two new researchers in Michigan, those at WMU and EMU, who are trying to bring the message forward, in these case lake stratification issues.

    The late Senator William Van Regenmortor had it right way back in 1992….we need to take a long hard look at how much salt gets dumped on paved surfaces here in Michigan and what we can do about it.

    • We agree on the issue of dumping salt everywhere. That is a problem.

      We were initially of a belief, that the high chloride in the Flint River, would have caused problems with lead even if corrosion control had been used. However, our later lab data disproved that. So the overall conclusion is that the lead problem is due to two factors:

      Higher Chloride + No Corrosion Control = High Lead in Flint Water

      BUT, if corrosion control had been used, to our surprise, based on bench scale experimental test results…..we do not believe the lead or iron or legionella problems would have been as severe. Specifically, if corrosion control had been continued, we believe the switch to Flint River would have been a success.

  2. The Flint Horror Show is buried under heaps of political manure. We have people, in our own country, who still can’t access public water; yet, instead of continuing this extremely dire situation, we have email-gate, T-rump insanity, and everything in between.

    I am sure the results of this test is important, but to me, the ‘what ifs’ are of no consequence. What is of consequence is why Mr Snyder isn’t out on bond for murder, embezzlement, perjury, etc. How is this guy still sitting in his state throne? With all the facts widely exposed, no one is, once again, held accountable.

    Watching Elizabeth Warren rip into the bankster CEO for their despicable (but again, perfectly legal for THEM) reminded me of all three Flint Hearings. A bunch of fellow crooked politicians humiliating those responsible, and then getting up and doing nothing. Not even slaps on the wrist.

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