The Michigan water crisis is coming to Congress.
In a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy Friday, a bipartisan group of leaders from the House Energy and Commerce Committee asked to be briefed on the events in Flint, Mich.
Children have been found with elevated levels of lead in their blood and cases of Legionnaire’s disease have spiked in Flint since the city switched water sources in April 2014. The scandal has swept the top environmental official in the state out of office and is putting pressure on Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.
The committee, headed by Michigander Rep. Fred Upton, wants the EPA to brief it on the crisis by next Friday.
“We are extremely concerned about the drinking water crisis in Flint, Michigan,” the letter states.
In April 2014, an emergency manager appointed by the state of Michigan made the decision to switch Flint’s water source from the city of Detroit to a local water authority. While that switch was taking place, the city would take its water from the Flint River.
The water in the Flint River is so polluted and acidic that it has been corroding the lead pipes that bring water from the river to residents’ homes.
Since then, the number of children in the city with too much lead in their systems doubled.
Snyder revealed this week that 87 cases of Legionnaire’s disease were reported since April 2014 in the city. Ten of the people affected by the disease died, he said. The state is investigating if the spike in Legionnaire’s disease could be linked to the switch in water sources.
Legionnaire’s disease is an infection that causes symptoms similar to pneumonia that affects the lungs. Smokers, people older than 50, people with chronic lung illnesses and people with weak immune systems are particularly at risk if they catch the infection.
High amounts of lead in blood could lead to drops in IQ, increased risk of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and other negative health effects, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Snyder declared a state of emergency in the city last week and has brought in the national guard to help deal with the crisis. He has since asked for federal assistance.
