GOP Poisons Flint Michigan

[Boreas]

While claiming that the water in Flint was safe to drink, the Snyder Administration was importing safe bottled water for their employees in Flint.

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slate..._in_flint.html



"The coolers will arrive today and will be provided as long as the public water does not meet treatment requirements."

Snyder's henchmen lied to the public about the safety of the water for another 10 months.

Got anything to say, Mike?

[icenine]

Originally Posted by whell

No, it addresses your assertion that the move away from the City of Detroit's water system was motivated by something other than costs. There's a TON of local history on the management and operation of the Detroit water system, and to say that costs didn't play a part in this for Flint is not correct. Here's more on that, by the way.

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2014/09/...ter-authority/

The move away from Detroit was the right thing to do. Was it well executed? Not by a long shot.

So, who are these henchmen / minions that you keep referring to?

The city may have believed it to be a good deal but that does not excuse whoever made the decision not to treat the fresh water correctly so as to be safe for the residents of Flint. That was bagger government in action.

[barbara]

I haven't been following this thread from the beginning..... But aren't there two issues with the water?

The first being using bad water. The second was running that water through lead contaminated pipes.

So.... Even if they use a safe water source.... Don't they have to replace the bad pipes?

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by barbara

I haven't been following this thread from the beginning..... But aren't there two issues with the water?

The first being using bad water. The second was running that water through lead contaminated pipes.

So.... Even if they use a safe water source.... Don't they have to replace the bad pipes?

From what I understand, the Flint River water was corrosive to the pipes in which Lake Huron water had been run using the requisite (but lower) amount of phosphate to ensure a coating within the pipe to prevent lead leaching from the pipes. When they changed to Flint River water, they refused to use the phosphate treatment (as required by the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule and highlighted by an EPA staffer who was ignored/challenged by Michigan). The corrosive (and untreated by phosphate) water ate through the existing phosphate film and started leaching lead from the pipes.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by barbara

I haven't been following this thread from the beginning..... But aren't there two issues with the water?

The first being using bad water. The second was running that water through lead contaminated pipes.

So.... Even if they use a safe water source.... Don't they have to replace the bad pipes?

The water was bad because of years of industrial pollution and also probably biological hazards. The water is also extremely caustic, so caustic that industries in the area won't use it to clean metal products.

Lead pipes are still widely in use for water systems all over the country, primarily in the eastern part. Normally, this isn't a problem because the pipes acquire a biological coating on their interior surfaces that prevents the water in the pipes from actually contacting the metal.

This all went right out the window in Flint. Because it was so caustic, the Flint River water stripped the bio coating from the pipes and then attacked the lead very aggressively, leaching lead out of them and into the drinking water.

[barbara]

Originally Posted by finnbow

From what I understand, the Flint River water was corrosive to the pipes in which Lake Huron water had been run using the requisite (but lower) amount of phosphate to ensure a coating within the pipe to prevent lead leaching from the pipes. When they changed to Flint River water, they refused to use the phosphate treatment (as required by the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule and highlighted by an EPA staffer who was ignored/challenged by Michigan). The corrosive (and untreated by phosphate) water ate through the existing phosphate film and started leaching lead from the pipes.

Thanks, Finn. I haven't kept up much with this story.

Then it was the bad water that ruined the pipes......

Geeez...... What a screw up by local authorities.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by barbara

Thanks, Finn. I haven't kept up much with this story.

Then it was the bad water that ruined the pipes......

Geeez...... What a screw up by local authorities.

Yep, and the corrosive nature of the water was known as Ford MoCo wouldn't use it for some of their processes as it chewed up their equipment. Here's an explanation of how the problem came about.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/health...lint-michigan/

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

From what I understand, the Flint River water was corrosive to the pipes in which Lake Huron water had been run using the requisite (but lower) amount of phosphate to ensure a coating within the pipe to prevent lead leaching from the pipes. When they changed to Flint River water, they refused to use the phosphate treatment (as required by the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule and highlighted by an EPA staffer who was ignored/challenged by Michigan). The corrosive (and untreated by phosphate) water ate through the existing phosphate film and started leaching lead from the pipes.

Not sure but I think it isn't the phosphates that comprise the coating but a biological coating that is encouraged to form by the presence of phosphates. This eutrophic effect of phosphates is why they're no longer allowed in detergents. I also think that the Flint River water was extremely - abnormally caustic - owing to a century of industrial pollution from once burgeoning Flint industry.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Not sure but I think it isn't the phosphates that comprise the coating but a biological coating that is encouraged to form by the presence of phosphates. This eutrophic effect of phosphates is why they're no longer allowed in detergents. I also think that the Flint River water was extremely - abnormally caustic - owing to a century of industrial pollution from once burgeoning Flint industry.

I also read that the Michigan DEQ chose to use ferric chloride as a coagulant during water treatment to help remove organics, but that this anti-coagulant was known to be problematic for such pipes, particularly when the (essential) anti-corrosion treatment wasn't used.

Also, the Michigan DEQ deliberately discarded several high lead water samples whose inclusion with the other samples put Flint's water above the EPA action level for lead.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/14/us/fli...investigation/

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

I also read that the Michigan DEQ chose to use ferric chloride as a coagulant during water treatment to help remove organics, but that this anti-coagulant was known to be problematic for such pipes, particularly when the (essential) anti-corrosion treatment wasn't used.

Also, the Michigan DEQ deliberately discarded several high lead water samples whose inclusion with the other samples put Flint's water above the EPA action level for lead.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/14/us/fli...investigation/

A lotta people need to go to jail for this.