2014day.year
The Flint water crisis begins when officials at Flint, Michigan switch the city's water supply to the Flint River, leading to lead and bacteria contamination.
On April 25, 2014, Flint officials switched the water supply to the Flint River. This change triggered a public health crisis due to lead and bacterial contamination.
In April 2014, in an effort to reduce costs, Flint, Michigan officials redirected the city’s water supply from Lake Huron and the Detroit River to the Flint River. Almost immediately, residents began reporting discolored, foul-smelling water and alarming health complaints. The corrosive river water leached lead from aging pipes, exposing thousands to toxic levels of the heavy metal. Beyond lead, the untreated water fostered dangerous bacterial growth that sickened many citizens. Subsequent investigations revealed systemic failures at multiple levels of government. The crisis sparked widespread protests, lawsuits, and calls for infrastructure reform nationwide. It became a stark example of environmental injustice and galvanized a broader movement for safe drinking water rights in the United States.
2014
Flint water crisis
Flint, Michigan
Flint River
lead
bacteria contamination