BENTON HORBOR, Mich. — Residents of Benton Harbor, Michigan began to line up for free bottled waters, so that they could cook and drink without worrying about the high levels of lead in their tap water.
In the southwestern corner Michigan city of Detroit, which is dominated by Black residents, water distribution points are free. Nearly half of the approximately 10,000 inhabitants live below the poverty level. Three years ago, the public water system was tested for elevated levels of lead.
It can be time-consuming to wait for bottled water. Some residents are wondering why the Flint water crisis was not addressed sooner.
Rhonda Nelson said, “It’s tiring,” as she waited in line at a Boys & Girls Clubs of Benton Harbor site.
She said, “I understand what Flint was going though, I really do,”
Michigan Governor. Michigan Governor. Residents are being warned to not drink, cook or make baby formula from tap water.
Residents are concerned about the health of their families due to elevated levels of lead. This problem can also be frustrating and stressful. Drivers queue up early at water distribution points, causing people to lose their jobs and families. It is important to use bottled water sparingly so that it doesn’t run dry. Waiting in line can have serious consequences. Idling consumes gas, which drivers must pay more to replenish.
LaKeena Crawford, a waitress, worried about her 8-year old daughter. She had seen her try to turn the water on.
Crawford stated, “I’m like, ‘No!’” Crawford added, explaining that she wants her daughter understand the dangers of lead in water. However, Crawford said that she doesn’t want to scare her too much.
High levels of lead can cause cognitive impairment in children under five years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Federal officials and say that no amount of drinking water contains enough lead to make them safe. In response to activists’ calls for immediate and aggressive action, the state has increased its response.
It is questioned whether the problem could have been solved faster if Benton Harbor’s residents were more like St. Joseph’s, which is predominantly white.
Ambie Bell helped distribute water to residents by saying, “Sometimes it’s just necessary to call out racism.
Millions of old underground lead lines connect buildings to water mains throughout the country. They are mostly located in the Midwest, but can also be found scattered around other states such as New Jersey or Massachusetts. Old pipes can pose a serious health risk to the public. Newark, New Jersey was plagued by lead water problems. This led to the replacement of many lead pipes. Alarm bells rang earlier this year when Clarksburg, West Virginia received alarming results from its high-quality lead test. Flint is now synonymous to lead water problems.
It is expensive to dig up and replace lead service lines, which can stress tight local budgets. Congress is considering reconciliation and infrastructure bills that would provide billions for lead line replacement. Activists believe this could make a big difference.
Flint’s lead water issue began when the city switched to the Flint River for a temporary cost-saving measure without proper treatment. It corroded its lead pipes and caused a water shortage. The water source for Benton Harbor, Lake Michigan, has been deemed safe, and there are many other places that get their water there.
He stated, “Our problem is clearly in our own infrastructure.”
The Environmental Protection Agency found a variety of violations at Benton Harbor’s water facility on Tuesday. According to the EPA, federal inspectors found so many problems that the city should consider losing ownership.
Michael Regan, EPA Administrator, stated in a statement that “the people of Benton Harbor are suffering for too long.”
Although water systems can occasionally give high results in tests, authorities in Benton Harbor have not been able to reduce them. Officials from the state said that replacing approximately 2,400 lead-containing pipes is the best long-term solution.
Also, the city lacks resources. The city also lacks resources. Prior governors appointed emergency managers with wide decision-making authority. This has led to a reduction in staffing and a decline in the city’s population.
Scott Dean, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Environment and Great Lakes and Energy, stated that this has a knock-on effect of a reduced technical, managerial and economic capability at the water plants due to underinvestment of staff, equipment and training.
Michigan tightened lead requirements in drinking water after the Flint water crisis in 2018. It boasted that it had passed the most protective law in the country. It set stricter requirements to test water for lead, and required that the old lead service lines must be replaced.
Local activists and environmental groups filed a petition with the EPA in September regarding Benton Harbor, urging prompt action. The Rev. Edward Pinkney, an activist, stated that if they had not filed, an aggressive response from the government may have taken longer.
Pinkney stated, “We couldn’t take it anymore.”
Last month, the Michigan House of Representatives oversight panel held a hearing on Benton Harbor. Steven Johnson, Chair of the Republican Committee, questioned why the state’s recent response to the city’s lead crisis felt like it was moving “from zero to 100 mph per hour”, despite the fact that the problem has been present for many years.
Michigan officials claim they are taking the issue seriously.
Local officials provided filters to reduce lead levels in water for residents of Benton Harbor in 2019. Eric Oswald, the director of the state’s drinking-water division, said that federal officials are currently studying the filters to ensure they function properly. They also have worked to improve corrosion control in order to decrease the lead levels in the water supply. Officials said that although the overall lead sampling results are still high, the percentage of high readings has declined.
Officials stated that outreach efforts began in 2018 and included engagement with the local press, notices to members of the public, and town halls. However, inspectors knocked on the city for not informing water customers about the problem within their water bills over a long period of time.
Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a Michigan State University professor and pediatrician raised alarms early about Flint. Parents often ask her about the possibility of a developmental problem linked to the lead in the water. However, it is difficult to establish a direct connection between a person’s health problems and the lead in the water.
She said that lead poisoning has been evaded treatment, diagnosis and prevention for too long. Individuals and households can have different lead levels. She said that other factors such as poverty can also have an impact on the outcome, which makes it particularly important to address in cities like Benton Harbor.
Marc A. Edwards is a Virginia Tech water treatment professor who said that the focus on Benton Harbor highlights a national problem with cities suffering from elevated levels of lead. Flint and other lead water crises degrade trust in the government’s management of water systems, he said.
Sylvester Bownes wears a prosthetic leg on his right leg and says he has been drinking bottled water for years, as he doesn’t trust the water from Benton Harbor.
He drove a cart with several bottles of water half-miles to his home. He said that a water main burst had temporarily cut off the public water supply.
Bownes stated that water is everything. It’s almost like gold.
Bownes stated that residents who are homebound may call a helpline to have water delivered. However, the process is too slow and not reliable. Officials from the state said that hundreds of people were added to a list for weekly delivery. Residents should notify the state if they have any problems.
Mitchell, the city manager, stated last month that customers are being charged for water that can still be used by authorities for laundry and dishwashing. Mitchell stated that the city is investigating whether there’s any relief available.
Nearly 2,200 water bottles were distributed by volunteers at the Boys & Girls Club water distribution event.
Nelson, a mother of two 12-year-old girls and one boy aged five years, stated that it can take between 15 and 20 water bottles to prepare dinner. She said, “Hopefully they get that fixed soon.”
Greg Johnson was the first person to arrive at 8:15 am. He said that he arrived early so his supplies could be replenished for his two daughters (8 and 11 years old).
He said, “It takes two cases in a morning to get them ready. They have to be washed and everything. It can get quite hectic.