Podcast #1

The Flint, Michigan water crisis started in April 2014 when the city switched its water source to the Flint River to save money. The water was not properly treated, causing lead to corrode the pipes and contaminate the drinking water. This led to health issues, especially for children, including brain damage, learning disabilities, and reproductive and heart issues. The crisis lasted for two years and was resolved in June 2016. To find out more, tune in to the next episode of Decoded. Welcome to Decode It. I'm your host, Jasmine Brown. On this special episode, we'll be talking about the Flint, Michigan water crisis. The questions I'll answer include, what is the Flint, Michigan water crisis, why should you care, and what is environmental racism? Stay tuned for more. So, let's start from the beginning. Wow. Thank you for that amazing start. The Flint, Michigan water crisis is classified as a public health crisis, occurring none other than Flint, Michigan, in April 2014. How did it begin, you ask? It began when the city, under emergency management, switched its water source from the treated Detroit Water and Sewerage Department water to the Flint River. You may ask yourself, why was there a switch in the water source? I'll answer that to save money. I know what you're thinking. So what? They changed water supplies. Great. Now they're saving money. Well, the short answer is no. The water from the Flint, Michigan river was not properly treated, meaning the pipes corroded, leaving lead in said pipes. This contamination led to contaminated drinking water and other pollutants. For the viewers who don't know, lead in the water is hazardous to humans, especially dangerous for children. Lead-contaminated water can cause brain damage, especially in children, leading to cognitive issues and learning disabilities. It can also cause reproductive issues, heart issues, and developmental issues, just to name a few. I started earlier than that. I stated earlier that this issue started in June of 2014. Well, to give the whole story, this issue was resolved in June of 2016. For two years, the people of Flint ingested hazardous water, but here's the catch. Well, I guess you'll have to wait to find out in my next episode of Decoded.