In April 2014, Flint, Michigan, a primarily black city, changed its water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River to help save money. This change caused water distribution pipes to corrode and discharge lead and other contaminants into the city’s drinking water. This resulted in a variety of health issues for residents, including itchy skin and hair loss, as well as, which was later found, an increase in lead levels in the children. The government ignored these issues and told residents the water was safe despite being extremely discolored.
By 2016, the residents in Flint had been ignored enough, and they sued the city and state officials to secure safe drinking water for Flint residents. Among the demands of the suit were the demand for proper testing and treatment of water for lead and the replacement of all the city’s lead pipes. By November 2016, they benefited from their efforts when a federal judge sided with Flint residents and ordered that the government provide every home in Flint with either a properly installed and maintained faucet filter or door-to-door delivery of bottled water. To try to reverse the problem, the city added chlorine to the water without telling the residents, which only worsened matters. Eventually, the town reverted to Lake Huron. However, the damage had already been done. As the residents are still trying to improve their water quality and continue to get justice and help, they are also faced with the result of the government’s decision not to act right away.
In Flint, nearly 9,000 children only had lead-contaminated water for 18 months, and the lead-contaminated water led to physical, mental, and behavioral health effects in the residents, such as anxiety and depression. In an evaluation done by the city, they found that:
- 66% of households experienced at least one adult with an unusual behavioral health issue.
- 54% of households experienced at least one child with an unusual behavioral health issue.
- 22.5% of households reported difficulties getting access to behavioral health services
- 34% of individuals reported symptoms of anxiety, and 29% self-reported symptoms of depression
- 51% of households felt that the physical health of at least one member had worsened due to the Flint water crisis
Although the water crisis in Flint has been contained now, as of 2018, the city has stopped providing bottled water to residents because the lead levels have remained below the federal action level for the past seven years. However, the city must still meet its court-ordered deadlines to check the service line material at all eligible homes and replace the lead service lines. This may mean that people in Flint still have to use lead-contaminated water. In addition, despite having started their campaign to change all the lead pipes, a project that was supposed to only take three years, as of 2024, still needs to be completed.
As of 2024, although the water in Flint is considered to meet the drinking standard, hundreds of homes may only have access to lead-contaminated water and face damage to their houses due to faulty lead pipes. Many are still affected by this and are faced with issues, both mental and physical. In addition to this, at least 12 known people have died as a result of this crisis. The Flint water crisis was not handled well by any standard, especially by Catholic Social Teaching. As Catholics, we are taught that we are created in God’s image and likeness. In Pope Francis’ Laudato Si,’ he reminds us that we are also taught that “access to safe drinkable water is a basic and universal human right, since it is essential to human survival and, as such, is a condition for the exercise of other human rights.” Clean water access is an inalliable right that can not be taken away. Pope Francis states that we can accomplish this by providing clean water and sanitary services to all people, rich or poor. “Human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, our neighbor, and the Earth itself.” The city officials of Flint failed to maintain these relationships by not prioritizing taking care of the residents of Flint and not providing a clean water source so that life in Flint could thrive. It may seem late, but if people start using Catholic Social Teaching as their basis for solving issues, they will find the problem to be solved much more effectively and efficiently than without.