On Wednesday, the law which gives authority to the Environmental Protection Agency to notify the public, whether their drinking water contains lead has been approved by the House. The legislation, approved 416-2, would give power to EPA to announce directly to health departments and residents if the amount of lead found in water system requires action.
Because of the newly approved bill, in the absence of notification from the state, EPA could send out warnings to the public. In 2014, Flint ceased to utilize treated water from Detroit and moved to the Flint River to save money. However, the regulators who were assigned to treat the water failed and the aging pipelines where water supply passes are contaminated with lead. Child lead exposure then increased in the state.
The new bill also requires the states, local utilities, and EPA to develop a system that will improve communications between them and the public. Utilities also need to identify and provide notice to the customers who may be affected by higher levels of lead due to lead-contaminated pipelines, as reported by Detroit Free Press.
While the notification would not have prevented the crisis in Flint, Rep. Dan Kildee believes that it is an essential first step in preventing a similar crisis in other cities. Rep. Kildee also encouraged lawmakers to review a separate bill which he introduced that would help solve the water crisis in Flint. US News reported that Flint's separate legislation requires $765 million to replace pipelines that were contaminated with lead and give health and educational support to children who were poisoned by the lead-contaminated water.
On January 5, Governor Rick Snyder declared a state of emergency and then made a phone call to the Michigan National Guard to distribute water filters and bottled waters in Flint. Also in the middle of the same month, President Barack Obama issued an emergency order.
