The lead contamination of the drinking system of this Michigan city was caused by the decision to change the source of water supply in 2014.
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It is one of the worst health scandals in the United States. A US court on Wednesday, November 10 gave final approval to pay more than $ 600 million to victims poisoned by lead contamination of the drinking water system in the city of Flint (Michigan).
The agreement, which provides for compensation of $ 626 million to victims, to be paid in large part by the state of Michigan, was announced in August 2020, after tough negotiations that lasted 18 months. “The agreement reached here is a tremendous success for many reasons, one of which is that it establishes a consistent full compensation schedule and schedule for each eligible person.”Michigan court judge Judith Levy said in her decision.
As the court document specifies, these funds are intended primarily for the children of this former industrial city, which has become a symbol of social injustice in the United States, but also for adults who can provide evidence of illnesses linked to their lead contamination.
The tragedy was caused by the decision of the governor, Republican at the time, of Michigan to change the city’s water supply in 2014, to save money. Acidic, polluted water from the local river, preferred over pure water from nearby Lake Huron, has eaten away at the distribution system’s pipes, exposing residents to lead poisoning. The distribution network is now again supplied by the lake and the lead pipes have for the most part been replaced.
Some 18 000 to 20 000 children lived in Flint at the time of this pollution. The lead poisoning of thousands of Flint’s children threatens to have catastrophic health consequences for decades. At least 12 people have also died from Legionnaires’ disease, an infection caused by the initial contamination of the water.