Water supply

Bardox

Loved Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2009
Posts
2,234
Media
38
Likes
551
Points
198
Location
U.S.
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Male
Correct me if I'm wrong here. The city council votes on whether or not to switch water sources from the Detroit water system, which gets it's water from the great lakes, to water from the Flint river. This is proposed by the Emergency Manager appointed by the governor to basically replace the entire local government. So the councils vote is just for show really, but they agree this is a good idea. The problem in Flint is that the water from the Flint river was not chemically treated prior to introducing it into the plumbing system. River water is slightly more corrosive than lake water due to a difference in chemical composition and so it gradually rusted the pipes and leaked lead into the water. Had they treated the water then this would not have been a problem. Now the pipes have to all be pulled out of the ground, buildings, and homes and replaced before the city's water will be anything remotely close to being safe to use.

So if that is the case, who made the decision NOT to treat the water coming from the Flint river and why? And when will they be going to prison for the rest of their natural lives for poisoning an entire town?
 

keenobserver

Worshipped Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Posts
8,550
Media
0
Likes
13,952
Points
433
Location
east coast usa
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
Correct me if I'm wrong here. The city council votes on whether or not to switch water sources from the Detroit water system, which gets it's water from the great lakes, to water from the Flint river. This is proposed by the Emergency Manager appointed by the governor to basically replace the entire local government. So the councils vote is just for show really, but they agree this is a good idea. The problem in Flint is that the water from the Flint river was not chemically treated prior to introducing it into the plumbing system. River water is slightly more corrosive than lake water due to a difference in chemical composition and so it gradually rusted the pipes and leaked lead into the water. Had they treated the water then this would not have been a problem. Now the pipes have to all be pulled out of the ground, buildings, and homes and replaced before the city's water will be anything remotely close to being safe to use.

So if that is the case, who made the decision NOT to treat the water coming from the Flint river and why? And when will they be going to prison for the rest of their natural lives for poisoning an entire town?

This water, from this river has been studied and rejected since 1963. MSNBC which broke this story some months ago - when no one else was listening will have a live show tonight about it. Starts at 9 pm eastern time.
 

rbkwp

Mythical Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Posts
80,310
Media
1
Likes
45,706
Points
608
Location
Auckland (New Zealand)
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
1

185248

Guest
The methane leaking into the atmosphere from that leak will make VW's fibs look like a walk in the park.
 

rbkwp

Mythical Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Posts
80,310
Media
1
Likes
45,706
Points
608
Location
Auckland (New Zealand)
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
bcause Michaels saying it, many deniers i am sure .. but WTF ..

Michael Moore: 10 Things They Won’t Tell You About the Flint Water Tragedy, But I Will

Michael Moore | January 30, 2016 9:05 am | Comments

News of the poisoned water crisis in Flint has reached a wide audience around the world. The basics are now known: the Republican governor, Rick Snyder, nullified the free elections in Flint, deposed the mayor and city council, then appointed his own man to run the city. To save money, they decided to unhook the people of Flint from their fresh water drinking source, Lake Huron, and instead, make the public drink from the toxic Flint River.



When the governor’s office discovered just how toxic the water was, they decided to keep quiet about it and covered up the extent of the damage being done to Flint’s residents, most notably the lead affecting the children, causing irreversible and permanent brain damage. Citizen activists uncovered these actions, and the governor now faces growing cries to resign or be arrested.

ecowatch.com: Michael Moore: 10 Things They Won't Tell You About the Flint Water Tragedy, But I Will
 
  • Like
Reactions: b.c. and Boobalaa

twoton

Superior Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Posts
7,865
Media
1
Likes
8,308
Points
268
Location
Mid Atlantic
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Male
Well...it does happen sometimes that a state government will have to take over for a local government when the local government sucks so bad that it's incapable of taking care of its people. Not sure how it works in other parts of the world. We also have to do it with school districts sometimes. It's a last-resort, and sometimes the locals look for a state takeover as a bailout.

There may very well have been political machinations in Flint, but for Moore to indict the notion of a state takover as "nullifying free elections" is disingenuous and just as politically charged as any other party propaganda. I thought "Roger & Me" was well done. After that, I kind of tuned Moore out entirely as a whack.
 

Calboner

Superior Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Aug 16, 2007
Posts
9,027
Media
29
Likes
7,873
Points
433
Location
USA
Verification
View
Sexuality
100% Straight, 0% Gay
Gender
Male
I have quoted only the headings. Read the article for the explanations. Items 1, 2, 4, and 10 are the most horrifying.

Ten things they won't tell you about the Flint water tragedy--but I will (Michael Moore)
  1. While the Children in Flint Were Given Poisoned Water to Drink, General Motors Was Given a Special Hookup to the Clean Water.
  2. For Just $100 a Day, This Crisis Could’ve Been Prevented.
  3. There’s More Than the Lead in Flint’s Water.
  4. People’s Homes in Flint Are Now Worth Nothing Because They Cant Be Sold.
  5. While They Were Being Poisoned, They Were Also Being Bombed.
  6. The Wife of the Governor’s Chief of Staff Is a Spokeswoman for Nestle, Michigan’s Largest Owner of Private Water Reserves.
  7. In Michigan, from Flint water, to Crime and Murder, to GM Ignition Switches, It’s a Culture of Death.
  8. Don’t Call It “Detroit Water” — It’s the Largest Source of Fresh Drinking Water in the World.
  9. ALL the Children Have Been Exposed, As Have All the Adults, Including Me.
  10. This Was Done, Like So Many Things These Days, So the Rich Could Get a Big Tax Break.
 

temptotalk

Legendary Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Posts
1,952
Media
0
Likes
1,084
Points
123
Location
Thirdlegdia
Gender
Male
300 Plumbers Poured Into Flint, Michigan, To Install Water Filters For Free

Everyone wants to see the city of Flint swim rather than sink -- including plumbers.

More than 300 union plumbers from all over Michigan flooded Flint to install free filters for residents, this past weekend.

According to ABC12, not all the faucets in Flint can fit a filter, which each resident of the city desperately needs in order to get rid of lead in their drinking water. Some of the faucets are older and oddly shaped, making the installation of a filter nearly impossible.

Local plumbers with United Association Local 370 in Flint have been going door-to-door making sure that faucets are filter ready since October, reports Michigan Radio. And last weekend, they got a boost from hundreds of union volunteers.

-----------------------------

Now thats cool.
 

nmf9in

Superior Member
Verified
Gold
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Posts
722
Media
30
Likes
3,040
Points
498
Location
Bay City (Michigan, United States)
Verification
View
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Male
Well...it does happen sometimes that a state government will have to take over for a local government when the local government sucks so bad that it's incapable of taking care of its people. Not sure how it works in other parts of the world. We also have to do it with school districts sometimes. It's a last-resort, and sometimes the locals look for a state takeover as a bailout.

There may very well have been political machinations in Flint, but for Moore to indict the notion of a state takover as "nullifying free elections" is disingenuous and just as politically charged as any other party propaganda. I thought "Roger & Me" was well done. After that, I kind of tuned Moore out entirely as a whack.
You're exactly right. I don't live in Flint, but have watched that town elect Democrats to run it for decades-and for years they've overspent/been teetering on the financial edge. Terrible local government running Flint-history and fact that can't be denied. It's a bad problem without an easy fix, but to blame Rick Snyder and ask for Michigan-and all of America to pay for this-is WRONG!
 

keenobserver

Worshipped Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Posts
8,550
Media
0
Likes
13,952
Points
433
Location
east coast usa
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
You're exactly right. I don't live in Flint, but have watched that town elect Democrats to run it for decades-and for years they've overspent/been teetering on the financial edge. Terrible local government running Flint-history and fact that can't be denied. It's a bad problem without an easy fix, but to blame Rick Snyder and ask for Michigan-and all of America to pay for this-is WRONG!

No, it is exactly right to blame Mr. Snider. He created the law that allowed him to bypass elected officials. He appointed all the people who created this crisis. To excuse him because there have been other bad elected officials misses the point. They permanently damage the lives or the citizens - Mr. Snider has. See the difference? Should America pay for this? Well, we as a country should front the money to fix the problem quickly and correctly - but I have no problem billing Michigan citizens for their own mess. This is a Republican made disaster - not an act of God beyond the control of people.

You are also not taking into consideration that Flint, like much of the northeast has seen its manufacturing base destroyed - through no fault of its own. That affects revenue coming in, but does not reduce fixed costs. Should Flint have been more aggressive in making cuts and raising taxes, yes, but no ne deserved this - saving money at all costs has been the GOP mantra, and it has gotten to the point where saving money is more important than human life. The GOP needs to pay, and some of them should probably be jailed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: temptotalk

twoton

Superior Member
Joined
Feb 28, 2011
Posts
7,865
Media
1
Likes
8,308
Points
268
Location
Mid Atlantic
Sexuality
99% Straight, 1% Gay
Gender
Male
Maybe things went bad for Flint through no fault of its own, but it could also have done something to pick itself up. Other rustbelt cities have: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo to name three.
 

keenobserver

Worshipped Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2015
Posts
8,550
Media
0
Likes
13,952
Points
433
Location
east coast usa
Sexuality
100% Gay, 0% Straight
Gender
Male
Maybe things went bad for Flint through no fault of its own, but it could also have done something to pick itself up. Other rustbelt cities have: Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo to name three.

But that is not really the issue on the table now is it ? I have no clue what was or wasn't done to try to save Flint - keeping in mind that throughout the Northeast thousands of communities are in the same boat. The three you have cited have worked hard and been successful in repositioning themselves - especially Buffalo. However the manufacturing economy has been wiped out and it is hard to go from a welder to a medical doctor quickly - there are always folks who will be crushed economically in these transitions.

When my old hometown lost all of its manufacturing base, the state relocated a total of four prisons there. The prisons provided some jobs at a decent wage, but not too many of the people who had worked in the factories were able to work in prisons - the jobs paid way less, were extremely dangerous and physically demanding in ways production jobs in manufacture were not. Simply put when an entire way of earning a living disappears the transition is difficult and crushing for about a generation and a half in many cases.

The turnaround in Buffalo has been primarily due to financial services growth and banking - not a lot of guys working in a plant got jobs there. Cleveland is still a wasteland in terms of whole neighborhood disappearing as populations abandoned the town. Downtown Cleveland has benefited from LeBron returning (for how long that may last) and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Again, it is good to have any growth, but they are a long way from where they need to be.
 
  • Like
Reactions: temptotalk