Introduction
The United States has encountered numerous traumatic events since time. The region is among great nations that have strived to safeguard their citizens from natural disasters, diseases, and environmental conditions that pose health risks and trauma. However, it remains in the limelight for encountering devastating traumatic conditions affecting a considerable population in the region. The traumatic events have been recorded in history books, oral histories, literature, health publications, the web, and art, demonstrating the causes, effects, and solutions to the disaster for future reference.
This essay explores the Flint water crisis in Michigan, which caused traumatic experiences, by explaining the causes, effects, and issues involved and the scientific-based interventions applied to restore normalcy and quality health in the region.
The Incident That Took Place
The Flint water crisis was a significant public health crisis in the United States. The event occurred between 2014 and 2019 in Michigan, United States, following issues with water quality and lead seepage into the water system. The problem began in 2014, resulting from switching the city’s water source (Pauli, 2020). Initially, residents obtained water from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, which was switched to the Flint River in 2014. The move aimed to save costs in the region due to a financial crisis plaguing the city. However, the water harmed the residents’ health after a while. The community started complaining about the water’s smell, color, and taste, claiming it tasted awful and smelled foul. The city’s officials resisted the residents’ protest, who maintained that the water was safe for consumption.
In 2015, investigations concerning water quality took place after citizens’ continuous complaints to find proof of their claims. The results obtained from water samples in 252 homes confirmed the presence of lead at high levels that demanded corrective measures (Pauli, 2020). According to the reports, the issue had reached critical levels that could pose serious health problems to the residents.
Therefore, researchers and health practitioners advised switching to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department as a water source since the Flint River water had proved toxic. Nonetheless, the situation was irreversible since the water pies had been corroded and contaminated by lead, allowing seepage of flint into the water system. The government declared a state of emergency after one year to mitigate the harm and conduct additional investigations on the water quality, which would ensure public safety.
The Issues Involved
Several issues were involved in the Flint water crisis that led to the development of events, from causes to solutions to the incident. The issues include lead contamination, the Legionella outbreak, environmental injustice, and accountability of the city’s officials. Switching the water source led to the corrosion of connecting pipes, facilitating lead seepage from old pipes and tap fixtures. The lead-contaminated water leads to high levels of lead that harm public health. Additionally, lead contamination from the incident resulted in the Legionella outbreak, a bacterium that thrives in water, causing a type of pneumonia known as Legionnaires disease (Ruckart, 2019). The disease caused several deaths, with many individuals hospitalized, affecting their quality of life.
Another issue involved environmental injustices in Michigan, which brought up race and social status issues. The majority of the city’s residents are minority populations with low-income generations, leading to poverty prevalence in the region. According to Pauli (2020), the people’s voices went unheard for a long time while they continued being affected by the contaminated water due to racial issues and low social status. Finally, the Flint water crisis raised issues of government accountability. The incidents lacked transparency and an efficient method of communication, which led to adverse health and psychological effects on the residents. Hence, the officials were charged with public health negligence after court hearings.
The Stress Impact on Children and Family
The Flint water crisis had negative health and mental impacts on the residents of Michigan during and post-crisis. Many individuals reported behavioral changes, trauma, physical health problems, and mental issues that resulted from the crisis. Studies conducted by Fortenberry et al. (2018) indicate that several families reported behavioral changes in their children following the incident, which was not seen before the Flint water crisis. The children demonstrated restlessness, learning behaviors, hearing problems, and anxiety associated with exposure to lead. Adults experienced several health and mental problems due to the impact of the crisis.
Psychologically, the people of Michigan experienced several mental issues, including anxiety, PTSD, and depression related to the water crisis. According to Fortenberry et al. (2018), the level of PTSD and depression was higher among the residents during the crisis associated with the Flint water crisis. Residents attributed some of their psychological problems to trust issues from misinformation and officials’ disregard for their welfare despite having proof that the water was contaminated and harmful (Brooks & Patel, 2021).
The impact of stress on Michigan residents continues to rise post-crisis and has reached concerning levels. Depression and post-traumatic stress prevail at higher-than-average levels, where one in five residents has symptoms of depression, and one in four residents has PTSD (Brooks & Patel, 2021). The level of psychological disorder is alarming since it exceeds the average level of PTSD and depression nationally and regionally. Thus, the Flint water crisis adversely affected the population as researchers and city officials continued looking for a permanent solution.
Scientific-Based Intervention and Results
The Flint water crisis became crucial, demanding immediate intervention from local and national governments and health agencies. In response to the state of emergency, the government distributed free bottled water and water filters to prevent residents from drinking contaminated water (Ruckart, 2019).
Another intervention involved the replacement of water cartridges and pipes, which is still taking place to ensure water from the new supply source is not contaminated by the corroded pipes. Further, the government provided testing kits for testing lead in the water before consumption, preventing the use of lead-contaminated water. Residents could test for lead levels to ensure safety and report the results, facilitating research efforts to find permanent solutions for enhancing water quality.
Finally, Congress funded several agencies dealing with public health, such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, to enhance their research regarding the crisis (Ruckart, 2019). The intervention measures resulted in fewer cases of lead-contaminated water as residents were given alternative water sources and filters to obtain clean water. The city is undergoing pipe replacements as residents resume normalcy and their health status.
Conclusion
The Flint water crisis was an environmental disaster that affected residents of Michigan, USA. The city switched the region’s water source, leading to contaminated water due to a corrosive pipe that allowed lead seepage into the water system. The crisis brought up various issues, including negligence of public safety by government officials, public health problems, and environmental and social injustice among marginalized populations. Residents were affected physically and mentally due to the trauma caused by the incidents. To date, many residents suffer from PTSD and depression associated with the crisis.
The crisis demonstrates the need for transparency, accountability, and communication strategies during an environmental disaster to avoid health implications for residents. It is essential to address citizens’ concerns and enhance public surveillance in critical areas to ensure public safety and the prevention of environmental disasters.
References
Brooks, S. K., & Patel, S. S. (2021). Psychological consequences of the flint water crisis: A scoping review. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness, 16(3), 1259–1269. Web.
Fortenberry, G. Z., Reynolds, P., Burrer, S. L., Johnson-Lawrence, V., Wang, A., Schnall, A., Pullins, P., Kieszak, S., Bayleyegn, T., & Wolkin, A. (2018). Assessment of behavioral health concerns in the community affected by the Flint Water Crisis — Michigan (USA) 2016. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, 33(3), 256–265. Web.
Pauli, B. J. (2020). The Flint Water Crisis. WIREs Water, 7(3). Web.
Ruckart, P. Z., Ettinger, A. S., Hanna-Attisha, M., Jones, N., Davis, S. I., & Breysse, P. N. (2019). The flint water crisis: A coordinated public health emergency response and recovery initiative. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 25(1). Web.