Read the following article and write 2 paragraphs summarizing the article (with
ID: 233116 • Letter: R
Question
Read the following article and write 2 paragraphs summarizing the article (with detail), and 2 paragraphs based on your personal reaction. The article: http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/11/health/toxic-tap-water-flint-michigan/
Instructions:
Write a two paragraph summary of the article and point out the major environmental themes discussed.
Personal Reaction: Your personal reaction should clearly state your opinions and/or reflection on the article. You can offer potential solutions, compare it to another environmental problem, ask questions about the article, or simply reflect on the article’s content. Do not simply write, “This article was very interesting/good.” Some questions to drive your discussion:
What are the key points made in the article?- What are the points of view presented about this issue?- Does the article teach you something new?- Does it support or refute other information you've heard or read?
Explanation / Answer
Summary of the article
Flint, Michigan is facing a medical emergency. This condition has aroused due to corrosive water from Flint river supplied to Flint homes. These homes used to get water from Lake Huron by paying Detroit but due to financial constraints they were using the nearest source i.e, the Flint river. But Flint River water is 19 times more corrosive than the Lake Huron water. This corrosion is due to high concentration of iron in Flint river. That’s why the water also looks brown. But the main issue is the corrosion of lead pipes which is supplying lead in water. Several individuals from Flint have observed its effects like funny to taste water, hair loss etc. But authorities have ignored and neglected the issue.
Ex mayor claimed that the water was potable. He even publicly drank the water. Federal law mandates use of anticorrosive agents in water supply but the authorities were not following it. This situation continued for two years. Finally a class-action law suit was filed by Flint residents. A local pediatrician, Dr. Mona’s evidence substantiated for the cause of hair-loss in children which turned out to be lead and consequently a switch to Huron water was made. But the damage was done to the lead pipes. Now even if the water is clean, it still has lead. Flint is a poor locality with over 40% below poverty line. In 2011 the city filed for bankruptcy and all the decisions with respect to civic amenities were taken by state government not by mayor or city council. The US attorney in Michigan and the Federal Environment protection agency now are investigating why the state chose to act the way it did.
Personal Reaction -
The article provides a substantial enquiry of the issue under consideration. This is an example of utter callousness by both the state and the local authorities. Such kind of discrepancies is usually observed in third world countries. The Pollution of groundwater in kasargod, kerala, India because of indiscriminate use of endosulphan by cashew planters and the failure of the local and state authorities to address the problem is a major example similar to the above issue. People in kerala were experiencing similar symptoms like Flint initially but after three to four years, children started developing teratogenic defects.
It is worth comparing the sociological conditions of Flint and kasargod. Both the communities had a substantial number of houses under poverty line. The authorities in both the cases tend to neglect the situation until it was too late.
The state authorities in Flint did not apply anti-corrosive agent because it was expensive and out of state-mandated budget for a bankrupt city. But the cost of austerity may prove disastrous for the near future of Flint residents.
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