Cher Donating Drinking Water to Flint, Michigan

As some of you may have read in the news lately, the city of Flint, Michigan, in the US is struggling with a drinking water crisis due to lead contamination, and has actually not had safe drinking water since 2014.

In 2014, Flint switched from Detroit’s water system to Flint River water as part of a state management cost-cutting move. This move was supposed to be only a temporary measure while a pipeline was built from Lake Huron, but Flint only went back to using Detroit water in October 2015.

In the meantime, the water from the Flint River was not treated properly and this led to lead and other metals leaching from old pipes into the drinking water supplies.

Many of the residents complained that there was something wrong with the taste, smell and appearance of their drinking water, and that it was making them sick, lose hair and break out in rashes.  State officials ignored this for months until Barack Obama stepped in after a plea by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder.

It was found that many of the children have elevated levels of lead in their bodies from the water supply. This is very dangerous as too much lead in the human body can lead to behavioural problems and learning disabilities in children.

Michigan officials initially downplayed concerns over levels of lead, but then in a turnaround they suddenly committed $10.6m for the reconnection to Detroit.

Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Flint, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will provide water, filters and testing kits for up to three months.

This all comes against a backdrop of campaigners calling for justice and the arrest of the city’s governor and superstar singer and actress, Cher saying that “This is a tragedy of staggering proportion and shocking that it’s happening in the middle of our country” and committing to donate bottled water for use by the residents of Flint.