FLINT WATER CRISIS In the interest of historical continuity, CACC has decided to publish a detailed timeline of the Flint water crisis for our readers to reference. 2012 September 2014 Gov Rick Snyder’s Local Fi- 8-8-2012 Flint adds additional chlorine 10-13-2014 nancial Stability and Choice Gov. Snyder appoints Ed Kurtz to its water, attempting to battle A General Motors plant an- Act passes, which states “an as Emergency Manager (EM) E. coli. nounces it will stop using Flint emergency manager is im- of Flint. 1-2-2015 River water, citing corrosion mune from liability” and “This Flint is found in violation of the concerns. The company an- act does not impose any lia- 12-20-2012 nounces it will buy Lake Huron Treasury officials meet with Safe Drinking Water Act. MDEQ bility or responsibility in law or finds unacceptable levels of to- water from Flint Township until equity upon this state, any de- Flint. Use of the Flint River is the KWA pipeline is finished. discussed. Treasury officials tal trihalomethanes (TTHM), a partment, agency, or other en- byproduct of Flint’s heavy chlori- tity of this state, or any officer will study only two options: 1-6-2015 staying with Detroit water, or nation and disinfection process. Flint Mayor Dayne Walling or employee of this state, or Overexposure to TTHM can any member of a receivership switching to the Karegnondi holds a press conference as- Water Authority (KWA). lead to an increased risk of can- suring that Flint water is safe transition advisory board, for cer and other health issues. any action taken by any local to drink. government under this act.” 3-25-2013 1-9-2015 Even though they hold no pow- University of Michigan-Flint 1-11-2015 4-16-2013 er under the Emergency Man- finds some water samples tak- City Council members ask to EM Kurtz signs an agreement ager arrangement, the Flint en on campus contain lead. At stop using Flint River Water. to join the Karegnondi system. City Council votes to join the the time, UM-Flint researchers The estimated cost to switch Karegnondi Water Authority thought this was an isolated back to Detroit water is $12 4-17-2013 pipeline project that will bring problem. A few infrequently used million. EM Earley denies the Detroit notifies Flint it must re- Lake Huron water in 2016. drinking fountains were closed. request, and says he will hire new or service will end in one water treatment consultants. year. The KWA pipeline will not 6-26-2013 1-13-2015 be ready in that time. Flint must EM Kurtz hires an engineering EM Earley is appointed as 2-25-2015 either negotiate a new contract firm to plan using the Flint Riv- EM of Detroit Public Schools. Testing performed by the city with Detroit, or find a tempo- er as a water supply. Jerry Ambrose is appointed reveal high lead content in the rary source. EM of Flint. water of a Flint household. Lee 6-29-2013 Anne Walters’ water has a lead 6-30-2013 Meeting at Flint Water Treat- 2-27-2015 content of 104 parts per bil- EM Kurtz resigns. He had an- ment between Flint city officials, The EPA has some questions lion(ppb). 15 ppb is the EPA’s nounced his planned resigna- MDEQ, and the firm hired by for state regulators. The state limit for drinking water. tion a month prior. Kurtz determines water from the responds in an email from Flint River would be “more diffi- Stephen Busch of the MDEQ, 3-19-2015 10-1-2013 cult to treat, but still viable.” stating Flint has an “Optimized MDEQ notifies EPA that Darnell Earley appointed Corrosion Control Plan.” The “MDEQ had investigated and Emergency Manager of Flint. 3-7-2014 statement is false. found Ms. Walters’ high lead was due to lead sources in EM Early turns down Detroit’s 3-23-2015 4-9-2014 offer to continue water service. her plumbing.” Walters reports Flint City Council votes 7-1 to to the EPA that the original State environmental regulators Earley says in a letter to Detroit “do everything possible to re- approve permits allowing Flint to Water and Sewage Dept. that plumbing was stolen when the connect with the Detroit water building was abandoned, and source water from the river. Flint plans to get its water from system.” the Flint River. new lead free plumbing was 4-25-2014 3-24-2015 installed when she purchas The switch is made. The 5-14-2014 EM Jerry Ambrose rejects the April 2015 50-year-long stream of Lake EM Early sells the pipeline that City Councils’ decision, calling Lee Anne Walters discovers Huron water from Detroit to has carried water from Detroit her child has lead poisoning. Flint ends. to Flint for $3.9 million. the vote “incomprehensible” and stating flatly “Flint water to- The city discovers the source is the service line from the public June 2014 day is safe by all EPA and DEQ Citizens of Flint begin com- 8-14-2014 water system to the home. Offi- plaining about the smell, taste Flint tap water tests positive standards.” cials close the service line and and discoloration of the water. for E. coli. Boil water adviso- connect the home to a neigh- Many complain they have be- ries are issued, and continue bor’s garden hose. Walters come ill from drinking their tap on and off until September 9. calls the city and ask if there is water. Tests indicate citizens may be “an Optimized Corrosion Con- exposed to pathogens entering trol Program.” Officials correctly the system. inform her there is no corrosion control program of any kind. 4-29-2015 10-6-2015 Flint’s financial emergency is 6-23-2015 The state disperses 20,000 10-8-2015 Gov Snyder announces Flint deemed to be “over.” Emer- A judge rejects an injunction water filters. Genesee Co. will switch back to Detroit wa- gency Manager Jerry Ambrose that would force Flint to switch Health Dept. and United Way ter, at a cost of $12 million. Flint leaves office. A “Receivership back to Detroit water. The suit another 4,000. will pay $2 million. The state Advisory Board” begins over- is filed by the Coalition for 10-16-2015 and the Mott Foundation will seeing the city’s mayoral and Clean Water, a group founded Flint reconnects to Detroit’s wa- contribute $10 million. council decisions. by city pastors and others. ter system. It will take around 6-24-2015 7-10-2015 three weeks to flush the city’s 11-3-2015 A leaked memo written by Mi- MDEQ’s Brad Wurfel says in a water system of Flint River water. Flint Mayor Dayne Walling, guel Del Toral at the EPA dis- Michigan Radio interview “any- It is not known when lead levels who had earlier defended the cusses the high lead content one who is concerned about might return to normal. safety of Flint’s water, loses in the Walters’ home. An EPA lead in the drinking water of 11-13-2015 re-election. spokesperson announces fed- Flint can relax. It does not look Clean water activists and citi- eral regulators haven’t yet as- 12-15-2015 like there is any broad problem zens of Flint file a class action Mayor Karen Weaver declares sessed the extent of the issue. with the water supply freeing lawsuit against the state of a state of emergency in Flint, 8-20-2015 up lead as it goes into homes.” Michigan and the City of Flint saying the drinking water has The state revises a report is- 9-19-2015 government employees. The caused irreversible damage to sued by the city of Flint. The Mark Edwards and other re- lawsuit seeks damages to cre- the health of the city’s children. revision removes two water searchers from Virginia Tech ate a “medical monitoring fund.” 12-19-2015 samples that are high in lead, sampled the water of 300 Flint National commentator Rachel which allowed the city to meet homes. Their study finds high 12-29-2015 Governor Snyder apologizes Maddow of MSNBC reports a federal standard. One of lead levels across the city, to the city of Flint. MDEQ di- on the crisis. She claims to ex- the samples was taken at the 13,200 ppb is the highest. The rector Dan Wyant and Brad plicitly show how responsibility Walters’ home. State officials EPA considers water with lead falls to Gov. Rick Snyder and say they removed the sample greater than 5,000 ppb to be Wurfel, MDEQ public informa- because the home had a wa- hazardous waste. Mark Ed- tion officer resign. his “radical, anti-democratic wards says “Flint is the only ter filter, which could lower the policies.” city in America that I’m aware 1-5-2016 result. Yet, the Walters’ sample of that does not have a cor- Governor Snyder declares a January 2016 showed the highest lead con- rosion control plan.” MDEQ’s state of emergency for Gen- The Flint Water Crisis has tent in the sampling pool. Brad Wurfel responds in a let- esee County. Gina Balaya, gained national media atten- 9-24-2015 ter to the Flint Journal “…this spokesperson for the U.S. Dis- tion. State Rep. Phil Phelps , group specializes in looking for Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and trict Attorney’s office announc- D-Flushing, announces plans high lead problems. They pull other Flint pediatricians report es the beginnings of a federal to introduce legislation that that rabbit out of that hat every- investigation.