For the second time this week, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign issued an ad based on her concern about the lead-contaminated water in Flint, Mich.
Clinton’s campaign released the 60-second ad, titled “This City Means Something,” showing community leaders from the eastern Michigan city touting Clinton’s comments about the lead in the city’s water during a Democratic debate in January.
Her decision to speak about the crisis during the debate brought the discussion to a different level, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said in the ad.
“She’s the one that brought this to another level of attention, and that’s what we needed,” Weaver says.
In April 2014, Flint switched its water source from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, which draws water from Lake Huron, to a local agency that also took water from the lake.
The infrastructure needed to get water from Lake Huron to Flint under the new agency was not yet built, however, so an emergency manager appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder decided to take water from the Flint River as a temporary measure.
But the water from the Flint River is so polluted and acidic that the water ate away at the lead pipes bringing water to the city’s homes.
The state did not require Flint to put any corrosion-control chemicals into the water. Those chemicals could have prevented the leaching of lead into the drinking water. The water is now being treated with those chemicals, but the corrosion controls need to once again build back up on the city’s pipes.
The Justice Department is investigating, as is the FBI.
Earlier this week, the campaign released an ad showing former President Bill Clinton touting her concern for Flint. He said his wife’s concern about the lead water crisis shows that she is the can-do candidate in the race.
Hillary Clinton has visited Flint and has sent top campaign aides, along with daughter Chelsea, to the city to talk with city leaders. The campaign also has urged supporters to donate to the city. The campaign has an office in the city that helps connect supporters with relief efforts.
“I will fight for you in Flint no matter how long it takes,” Clinton says in the ad.
