They Flint is home to nearly 100,000 people. The recipients of the money will largely be individuals who were children at the time of the 2014 crisis. Not long after the switch, residents began to report that the water had a different smell, taste and colour.Residents raised the alarm that something wasn’t right with their water supply but their pleas were dismissed by the local government and elected officials.Campaigners began attracting support from around the world as protests tried to draw attention to the ongoing situation and the state’s denial that anything was wrong. Melissa Mays is tired.
"Black residents make up 57 per cent of Flint's population, and the city's median household income $26,330, far below the country's average of $61,937. It's what it says. FILE - In this March 21, 2016, file photo, the Flint Water Plant water tower is seen in Flint, Mich.
The Flint water crisis began in 2014 when the city stopped using Lake Huron as its water source and temporarily began drawing water from the Flint River. The decision was a cost saving measure determined by un-elected emergency managers from the state who were overseeing the city at the time.When residents began to complain of rashes and illnesses after the change in water supply, they were largely ignored until a team of researchers conducted water tests in the city and found the lead contamination, which forced the city leaders to act. The State of Michigan has agreed to pay victims of the Flint water crisis a $600m (€508m) settlement, to make amends for the damage done to residents’ health by polluted water. You can also choose to be emailed when someone replies to your comment.The existing Open Comments threads will continue to exist for those who do not subscribe to Independent Premium. Most settlement money will go to children exposed to toxic lead Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? The city is part of the larger Rust Belt region, which has seen mass depopulation and de-industrialization as manufacturing jobs - like auto assembly workers in Michigan and steel mill workers in Ohio and Pennsylvania - were eliminated thanks largely to outsourcing made possible by NAFTA. Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post the same level of attention, but we have preserved this area in the interests of open debate. The settlement will bring to a close numerous civil lawsuits targeting multiple government defendants, including the state of Michigan, former Republican Attorneys Ted Leopold and Michael Pitt, who led the class-action litigation, said the ruling brings a measure of justice for the victims.
Thousands of residents reportedly suffered from hair loss, rashes, and ill health as a result of drinking contaminated water pumped into the city by local water companies.80 per cent of the money will benefit people who were under the age of 18 during the crisis, as children were the worst affected.Children and babies under the age of five can experience brain damage when exposed to lead before their brains are fully developed, experts say. The funds are prioritised residents who were children at the time of exposure because lead is extremely toxic and can cause brain development issues in children. Flint residents used bottled water for drinking and other household needs for more than a year. It has been called one of the worst human-caused environmental disasters in American history.Tens of thousands of Flint residents who lived in the area between April 2014 and July 2016 will be eligible to submit a claim. Around 65 per cent of the money will be distributed to residents who were six and younger when they were first exposed to the tainted water.