Remember Flint? 4 Years Later They Still Have a Water Crisis

by with 3 Comments Featured

Flint still doesn’t have clean running water… or at least water that doesn’t stink or burn when you take a shower. The government, of course, begs to differ.

This crisis made national news in 2014. The government knowingly subjected their residents to dangerous levels of lead in an attempt to save a dollar. Now tens of thousands of residents are sick and their medical resources are limited. According to the latest Census data, Flint has the highest poverty rate in the nation with 45% of their residents living below the poverty line. 58% of their children (or residents under the age of 18) are living below the poverty line, which is more than 3x the national average of 18%. Common sense would suggest that the most vulnerable need the most help? Yet, it’s the exact opposite.

Michigan (R) Gov. Rick Snyder recently announced that they will stop providing bottled water to Flint residents.
“We have worked diligently to restore the water quality and the scientific data now proves the water system is stable and the need for bottled water has ended.” – Gov. Rick Snyder

Churches and nonprofits have been tasked with handing out much of the water. They’re now bracing families and residents, who normally come by weekly for their water, that it’ll likely stop with no set plans or alternative options in place once it does. Synder states that the water system is now stable; but Flint residents, who are now being told it’s ok to bath and cook with this water, have heard that before. They tell a much different story.

“My water stinks. It still burns to take a shower… There’s no way they can say it’s safe. I think it’s really cruel what they’re doing to us as a city, as a whole. We’ve been struggling over four years almost. It’s just cold-hearted — now they’re taking our drinking water away from us.” – Flint resident Melissa Mays

Do you know someone in Flint, MI? We want to hear from them. Their story is important. Unfortunately, this crisis, which has been going on for 4 years, doesn’t get covered as much as it should… and that’s troubling, to say the least.

Cape Town Water Crisis

by with 3 Comments InternationalNews

An entire country is about to run out of water, and no one’s talking about it.

Cape Town, South Africa, is predicted to run out of water on April 15th. The drought in South Africa began in 2015 and is now reaching a critical point, highlighting the severity of the water situation, as well as the lasting effects of the apartheid and the inequality resulting from it.

Cape Town, the nation’s tourist destination, is the most noted area affected because of the decrease in tourism and the clear divide in response between the rich and the poor. While the shortage will affect everyone in the city, the differences in approach are worth noting; the one million residents who live in the informal settlements only make up 4.5% of the water usage (USATODAY) and as water becomes increasingly scarce and restrictions tighten, these people make a tangible change to their consumption. While the notion of the suburban to high-income areas is “we’ll buy it.”

It’s important to note that the poorest group, the smallest group, who is using the least amount of water between Cape Town’s demographic groups, is also being blamed for worsening the shortage and wasting water, while 70% of water is used in formal homes- highlighting the divide. (USATODAY)

When the water runs out, the rich will not be able to “buy” more and blaming the poor will not bring it back. As South Africa prepares to run out of water, will they also prepare to come to grips with the influence inequality has had on their water supply?