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The Poisoned City: Flint's Water and the American Urban Tragedy
Winner of The Hillman Prize for Book Journalism - 2019When the people of Flint, Michigan, turned on their faucets in April 2014, the water pouring out was poisoned with lead and other toxins.Through a series of disastrous decisions, the state government had switched the city’s water supply to a source that corroded Flint’s aging lead pipes. Complaints about the foul-smelling water were the residents of Flint, mostly poor and African American, were not seen as credible, even in matters of their own lives.It took eighteen months of activism by city residents and a band of dogged outsiders to force the state to admit that the water was poisonous. By that time, twelve people had died and Flint’s children had suffered irreparable harm. The long battle for accountability and a humane response to this man-made disaster has only just begun.In the first full account of this American tragedy, Anna Clark's The Poisoned City recounts the gripping story of Flint’s poisoned water through the people who caused it, suffered from it, and exposed it. It is a chronicle of one town, but could also be about any American city, all made precarious by the neglect of infrastructure and the erosion of democratic decision making. Places like Flint are set up to fail—and for the people who live and work in them, the consequences can be fatal.
302 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 10, 2018
307 people are currently reading
8673 people want to read
About the author
Anna Clark
3 books200 followersAnna Clark is a journalist in Detroit and the author of "The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water and the American Urban Tragedy." It is the winner of the Hillman Prize for Book Journalism, a Michigan Notable Book, and named one of the year's best books by the Washington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, the New York Public Library, Kirkus, Amazon, Audible, and others. Her writing has appeared in Elle, the New York Times, Politico, the Columbia Journalism Review, and Next City, among other publications. She has been a Knight-Wallace journalism fellow at the University of Michigan and a Fulbright fellow in Nairobi, Kenya.
Anna has been a writer-in-residence in Detroit high schools through InsideOut Literary Arts. She's also been a longtime co-leader of an improv theater workshop at a Michigan prison. Anna edited "A Detroit Anthology," a Michigan Notable Book, and authored "Michigan Literary Luminaries: From Elmore Leonard to Robert Hayden." She graduated from the University of Michigan and from Warren Wilson College's MFA Program for Writers.
Anna has been a writer-in-residence in Detroit high schools through InsideOut Literary Arts. She's also been a longtime co-leader of an improv theater workshop at a Michigan prison. Anna edited "A Detroit Anthology," a Michigan Notable Book, and authored "Michigan Literary Luminaries: From Elmore Leonard to Robert Hayden." She graduated from the University of Michigan and from Warren Wilson College's MFA Program for Writers.
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March 13, 2021
“This is the story of how the City of Flint was poisoned by its own water. It was not because of a natural disaster, or simple negligence, or even because some corner-cutting company was blinded by profit. Instead, a disastrous choice to break a crucial environmental law, followed by eighteen months of delay and cover-up by the city, state, and federal governments, put a staggering number of citizens in peril. Their drinking water, it turned out, was full of lead and other toxins…There is no known cure for lead poisoning. The threat invaded the most intimate spaces of people’s lives: their bodies, their homes, their meals, the baths they gave their children, the formula they fed their babies…”
- Anna Clark, The Poisoned City
The Flint water crisis is one of those things that I was only vaguely aware of while it was ongoing. Part of me feels guilty about this. After all, the residents of a major American city were unknowingly jeopardizing their own lives every time they opened a faucet. Meanwhile, the state and local governments were busy gaslighting them by insisting that the oddly colored, foul smelling, bad tasting water was completely safe. This is something to which I should have paid more attention.
On the other hand, I’m not the Giver. I don’t have the capacity to stay abreast of all the world’s tragedies.
Nevertheless, it’s something I’ve been meaning to catch up on. Thankfully, Anna Clark has provided a brisk, elegantly written primer on this new American tradition: the collapse of infrastructure. The Poisoned City is the story not only of a city misled by elected officials and betrayed by faulty public services, but a larger tale of failing cities and the price we will have to pay if we accept that failure.
At 215 pages of text, this is rather concise. Yet it covers a lot of ground.
The crisis itself began with the decision by Flint to switch from water supplied by Detroit, which was safe but extremely expensive (and came from Lake Huron), and join a new water authority. Unfortunately, the new authority would take some time to come online. In the meantime, the Flint River would be used as a stopgap.
While the river itself was not toxic – a point this book could have made clearer, earlier – it was not being properly treated. Because of this, the water had a very corrosive effect on the old lead pipes, allowing extremely high levels of lead to leach into the water.
This is not a good thing.
In a chilling section on the history of this base metal, Clark enumerates the reasons that lead has been used for so many purposes (including pipes that are “flexible enough to bend through an underground landscape of tree roots and cellars”). But this functionality comes at a cost, especially for children:
Lead in the water was only part of the problem. There were other toxins, and also an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. Part of the complexity of the story is that even though there was a lot wrong with the water, it manifested in different ways, in different areas. In certain parts of Flint, the water came out safe; in other parts, usually the lower-income sections of town, ravaged by blight and abandoned buildings, it was potentially lethal. Some people reported the water smelling and tasting foul; others did not (it is never quite made clear what caused the taste and odor problems). The quality of the water depended on the types of pipes, their age, and how much they were used.
In part, The Poisoned City is about indifference bordering on – and sometimes turning into – deceit. This indifference and deceit, directed at a struggling city with a large black population, was tinged with issues of race and class.
But Clark also tells of a more uplifting side, with people in the community refusing to give up on themselves. She covers the well-known “heroes”, such as pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and civil engineer Marc Edwards. However, she does a good job of reminding the world that Flint was not a borough of helpless victims. Instead, it was populated by greasy wheels like LeeAnne Walters, who refused to meekly submit when the experts told her that nothing was wrong. It was populated by church leaders who led bottled-water drives, and community activists who attracted attention, and a dogged journalist who wouldn’t quit once he had the scent.
Flint is paradigmatic example of what happens when systems fail and institutions break down. No amount of sugarcoating can change that. But it is also about grass roots empowerment and fighting city hall.
One of the most interesting things that Clark does is place the Flint water crisis into a larger context. She traces the history of this legacy city, as it became an auto-making boom town that went bust. In the process, she points to a sinister side of economic growth, including redlining, federally-subsidized housing segregation, and racially discriminatory covenants, which created sharply divided cities. Deeply-rooted problems that exist today are the offspring of deeply-wrong choices made decades ago.
As people flee the city for the suburbs, they leave a big, hollowed-out system to be supported by a shrinking tax base. Many of America’s so-called “dying cities” are surrounded by rings of wealthier municipalities that circle and feed off the host like tapeworms during the day, and then escape, tax free, with the evening commute back home. Meanwhile, vital parts of the national network, especially roads and bridges, age relentlessly without repair. We take them for granted until they fail, often spectacularly.
The economic stratification, environmental impacts, and social consequences of these patterns are worth their own book. Suffice to say, The Poisoned City is a good jumping off point for the further exploration of modern urban issues.
It is trite to say there is opportunity in the wake of disaster. Clark’s optimistic calls for “positive action” can feel almost weightless. A forced silver lining on a toxic cloud. Then again, if you do not learn from your mistakes, then your mistakes have been made in vain, and they will almost certainly be repeated.
The costs of those mistakes can be as large as a bridge, which has just collapsed into a river, or as small as a glass of water, swimming with neurotoxins.
- Anna Clark, The Poisoned City
The Flint water crisis is one of those things that I was only vaguely aware of while it was ongoing. Part of me feels guilty about this. After all, the residents of a major American city were unknowingly jeopardizing their own lives every time they opened a faucet. Meanwhile, the state and local governments were busy gaslighting them by insisting that the oddly colored, foul smelling, bad tasting water was completely safe. This is something to which I should have paid more attention.
On the other hand, I’m not the Giver. I don’t have the capacity to stay abreast of all the world’s tragedies.
Nevertheless, it’s something I’ve been meaning to catch up on. Thankfully, Anna Clark has provided a brisk, elegantly written primer on this new American tradition: the collapse of infrastructure. The Poisoned City is the story not only of a city misled by elected officials and betrayed by faulty public services, but a larger tale of failing cities and the price we will have to pay if we accept that failure.
At 215 pages of text, this is rather concise. Yet it covers a lot of ground.
The crisis itself began with the decision by Flint to switch from water supplied by Detroit, which was safe but extremely expensive (and came from Lake Huron), and join a new water authority. Unfortunately, the new authority would take some time to come online. In the meantime, the Flint River would be used as a stopgap.
While the river itself was not toxic – a point this book could have made clearer, earlier – it was not being properly treated. Because of this, the water had a very corrosive effect on the old lead pipes, allowing extremely high levels of lead to leach into the water.
This is not a good thing.
In a chilling section on the history of this base metal, Clark enumerates the reasons that lead has been used for so many purposes (including pipes that are “flexible enough to bend through an underground landscape of tree roots and cellars”). But this functionality comes at a cost, especially for children:
Children are most vulnerable to lead poisoning because their developing bodies absorb up to five times more lead than an adult from the same amount of exposure…Once in the bloodstream, lead disrupts the normal operation of a child’s cells, particularly the way that they produce energy and communicate to the nervous system. Lead accumulates in the teeth, bones, and soft tissues – the same places that collect calcium – which means that small, sustained exposures can build up to a severe amount of lead in the body. This can cause brain swelling, fatigue, anemia, vomiting, abdominal pain, irritability, aggressive and antisocial behavior, slowed growth, hearing problems, learning disabilities, diminished IQ, reduced attention spans, kidney failure, seizures, coma, and, in extreme cases, death. The Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation, an independent research center at the University of Washington, estimates that 494,550 deaths worldwide in 2015 can be attributed to lead exposure, mostly in low-and middle-income countries. It also estimate a loss of more than 9 million life years due to the long-term impact of lead.
Lead in the water was only part of the problem. There were other toxins, and also an outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease. Part of the complexity of the story is that even though there was a lot wrong with the water, it manifested in different ways, in different areas. In certain parts of Flint, the water came out safe; in other parts, usually the lower-income sections of town, ravaged by blight and abandoned buildings, it was potentially lethal. Some people reported the water smelling and tasting foul; others did not (it is never quite made clear what caused the taste and odor problems). The quality of the water depended on the types of pipes, their age, and how much they were used.
In part, The Poisoned City is about indifference bordering on – and sometimes turning into – deceit. This indifference and deceit, directed at a struggling city with a large black population, was tinged with issues of race and class.
But Clark also tells of a more uplifting side, with people in the community refusing to give up on themselves. She covers the well-known “heroes”, such as pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and civil engineer Marc Edwards. However, she does a good job of reminding the world that Flint was not a borough of helpless victims. Instead, it was populated by greasy wheels like LeeAnne Walters, who refused to meekly submit when the experts told her that nothing was wrong. It was populated by church leaders who led bottled-water drives, and community activists who attracted attention, and a dogged journalist who wouldn’t quit once he had the scent.
Flint is paradigmatic example of what happens when systems fail and institutions break down. No amount of sugarcoating can change that. But it is also about grass roots empowerment and fighting city hall.
One of the most interesting things that Clark does is place the Flint water crisis into a larger context. She traces the history of this legacy city, as it became an auto-making boom town that went bust. In the process, she points to a sinister side of economic growth, including redlining, federally-subsidized housing segregation, and racially discriminatory covenants, which created sharply divided cities. Deeply-rooted problems that exist today are the offspring of deeply-wrong choices made decades ago.
As people flee the city for the suburbs, they leave a big, hollowed-out system to be supported by a shrinking tax base. Many of America’s so-called “dying cities” are surrounded by rings of wealthier municipalities that circle and feed off the host like tapeworms during the day, and then escape, tax free, with the evening commute back home. Meanwhile, vital parts of the national network, especially roads and bridges, age relentlessly without repair. We take them for granted until they fail, often spectacularly.
The economic stratification, environmental impacts, and social consequences of these patterns are worth their own book. Suffice to say, The Poisoned City is a good jumping off point for the further exploration of modern urban issues.
Lead is one toxic legacy in America’s cities. Another is segregation, secession, redlining, and rebranding: this is the art and craft of exclusion. We built it into the bones of our cities as surely as we laid lead pipes. The cure is inclusion.
It is trite to say there is opportunity in the wake of disaster. Clark’s optimistic calls for “positive action” can feel almost weightless. A forced silver lining on a toxic cloud. Then again, if you do not learn from your mistakes, then your mistakes have been made in vain, and they will almost certainly be repeated.
The costs of those mistakes can be as large as a bridge, which has just collapsed into a river, or as small as a glass of water, swimming with neurotoxins.
July 11, 2018
“Thousands have lived without love; not one without water.”
—W.H. Auden"
The short review: Everyone should read this book. All readers interested in learning why the disaster in Flint happened. Plus, all other US readers who couldn’t care less about Flint or its problems. A 2016 study by the National Resources Defense Council found that fifty-three hundred US water systems were in violation of federal lead rules.
Now for the longer review.
I remember first hearing about Flint’s water system problems from Rachel Maddow in December 2015-January 2016, and being horrified. Then the story was everywhere for approximately 6 months. And then it wasn’t. I never ceased being curious about how Flint’s water supply became and stayed contaminated, and I suspected that what occurred in Flint revealed risks not limited to Flint.
Articles and interviews on the subject in 2016 or so seemed to be comfortable stopping with the following oft-repeated but incomplete version of the story: An interim, appointed city manager made a careless, cost-cutting decision to change water sources. As a result, Flint residents, including kids, were exposed to lead in their municipal water system for eighteen months. Lead poisoning does permanent damage. Residents were lied to by multiple layers of politicians, from appointed city managers up to agencies reporting to Governor Rick Snyder, and Gov. Snyder himself. Flint residents’ repeatedly expressed concerns about poor water quality were ignored and, once the crisis was confirmed, the solution came excruciatingly slowly. Many articles repeated a statement that was untrue: that the Flint River was contaminated or toxic. The problem was never the Flint River. It was Flint’s failure to comply with water processing standards that caused the contamination.
I haven’t vetted the-below linked timeline from CNN, but no obvious errors jumped out at me, and it’s very useful for readers interested in The Poisoned City for a couple of reasons. First, a timeline reveals what narratives sometimes fail to – just how excruciatingly long it takes us to identify and solve highly urgent problems, if even a person or two serves as a roadblock or source of delay. Those persons running for ostensibly-minor offices, whose names appear at the end of a very long ballot each October and you have no idea what the office-holder does or who the candidates are? Those people are critical to your local experience. Second, you can read this timeline several times and conclude that you still have no idea what happened. Anna Clark’s book is the answer.
https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/04/us/fli...
Anna Clark’s The Poisoned City is a masterful, efficient account of Flint, from the 1700s to the present. She covers, in particular, the short-term and long-term impacts on Flint of housing segregation, including General Motors’ segregated housing developments offering favorable terms; Harry Truman’s encouragement of General Motors and other manufacturers to move their plants from downtowns to suburbs – in the name of national security --; Michigan’s open records law (that doesn’t apply to its governor or legislature); the details of the federal Lead and Copper Rule – what it requires and how certain cities, including Flint, manipulate their data to claim compliance with its standards; the appropriateness and use of unelected emergency managers and their impact on citizens’ voting rights; and, finally, the impact of successive reductions in headcount of Michigan journalists at just the moment when the Flint story sat ready to be uncovered. By the time Clark reveals that, in addition to everything else, Michigan politicans concealed the existence of the bacteria that causes Legionnaire’s Disease in its water, the reader is not at all surprised. If this suggests that The Poisoned City is an accumulated research dump, it is not. Clark presents pertinent facts with the skill of a feature writer. She never goes down a rabbit hole. She has a purpose for every fact she provides, and those facts are directly relevant to the water crisis. Every statement has a corresponding endnote available for readers to review for verification and additional information. Hence, the core of the book is actually 2/3 of its page count, and the last 1/3 is comprised of those supporting end notes, which are well worth reading as you go. This is as much of a page-turner as non-fiction can be.
Nothing was inevitable about this tragedy. As Clark notes, other cities with declining populations and aged infrastructure made a multitude of different choices and avoided putting their public water systems at risk. She calls out Lansing and Madison, Wisconsin in particular, as examples of successful approaches. Her last chapter offers suggestions, but also identifies changes that have occurred since the tragedy. Michigan’s emergency manager statute, for example, has been changed in positive ways.
Clark is a top-flight story-teller, and her every sentence is supported by fact. That’s the best reason of all for reading The Poisoned City.
Thanks to Metropolitan Books and Net Galley for offering me a copy of this excellent book.
—W.H. Auden"
The short review: Everyone should read this book. All readers interested in learning why the disaster in Flint happened. Plus, all other US readers who couldn’t care less about Flint or its problems. A 2016 study by the National Resources Defense Council found that fifty-three hundred US water systems were in violation of federal lead rules.
Now for the longer review.
I remember first hearing about Flint’s water system problems from Rachel Maddow in December 2015-January 2016, and being horrified. Then the story was everywhere for approximately 6 months. And then it wasn’t. I never ceased being curious about how Flint’s water supply became and stayed contaminated, and I suspected that what occurred in Flint revealed risks not limited to Flint.
Articles and interviews on the subject in 2016 or so seemed to be comfortable stopping with the following oft-repeated but incomplete version of the story: An interim, appointed city manager made a careless, cost-cutting decision to change water sources. As a result, Flint residents, including kids, were exposed to lead in their municipal water system for eighteen months. Lead poisoning does permanent damage. Residents were lied to by multiple layers of politicians, from appointed city managers up to agencies reporting to Governor Rick Snyder, and Gov. Snyder himself. Flint residents’ repeatedly expressed concerns about poor water quality were ignored and, once the crisis was confirmed, the solution came excruciatingly slowly. Many articles repeated a statement that was untrue: that the Flint River was contaminated or toxic. The problem was never the Flint River. It was Flint’s failure to comply with water processing standards that caused the contamination.
I haven’t vetted the-below linked timeline from CNN, but no obvious errors jumped out at me, and it’s very useful for readers interested in The Poisoned City for a couple of reasons. First, a timeline reveals what narratives sometimes fail to – just how excruciatingly long it takes us to identify and solve highly urgent problems, if even a person or two serves as a roadblock or source of delay. Those persons running for ostensibly-minor offices, whose names appear at the end of a very long ballot each October and you have no idea what the office-holder does or who the candidates are? Those people are critical to your local experience. Second, you can read this timeline several times and conclude that you still have no idea what happened. Anna Clark’s book is the answer.
https://www.cnn.com/2016/03/04/us/fli...
Anna Clark’s The Poisoned City is a masterful, efficient account of Flint, from the 1700s to the present. She covers, in particular, the short-term and long-term impacts on Flint of housing segregation, including General Motors’ segregated housing developments offering favorable terms; Harry Truman’s encouragement of General Motors and other manufacturers to move their plants from downtowns to suburbs – in the name of national security --; Michigan’s open records law (that doesn’t apply to its governor or legislature); the details of the federal Lead and Copper Rule – what it requires and how certain cities, including Flint, manipulate their data to claim compliance with its standards; the appropriateness and use of unelected emergency managers and their impact on citizens’ voting rights; and, finally, the impact of successive reductions in headcount of Michigan journalists at just the moment when the Flint story sat ready to be uncovered. By the time Clark reveals that, in addition to everything else, Michigan politicans concealed the existence of the bacteria that causes Legionnaire’s Disease in its water, the reader is not at all surprised. If this suggests that The Poisoned City is an accumulated research dump, it is not. Clark presents pertinent facts with the skill of a feature writer. She never goes down a rabbit hole. She has a purpose for every fact she provides, and those facts are directly relevant to the water crisis. Every statement has a corresponding endnote available for readers to review for verification and additional information. Hence, the core of the book is actually 2/3 of its page count, and the last 1/3 is comprised of those supporting end notes, which are well worth reading as you go. This is as much of a page-turner as non-fiction can be.
Nothing was inevitable about this tragedy. As Clark notes, other cities with declining populations and aged infrastructure made a multitude of different choices and avoided putting their public water systems at risk. She calls out Lansing and Madison, Wisconsin in particular, as examples of successful approaches. Her last chapter offers suggestions, but also identifies changes that have occurred since the tragedy. Michigan’s emergency manager statute, for example, has been changed in positive ways.
Clark is a top-flight story-teller, and her every sentence is supported by fact. That’s the best reason of all for reading The Poisoned City.
Thanks to Metropolitan Books and Net Galley for offering me a copy of this excellent book.
November 18, 2019
Informative and infuriating are the first two words that come to mind to describe The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water and the American Urban Tragedy. Journalist Anna Clark provides a full account of the water scandal of Flint, Michigan in this book - setting the scene of the city (largely vacant with a high poverty rate), noting numerous decisions made by government officials to change the city’s water source, ignoring concerns that were raised, ultimately resulting in this man-made and preventable disaster.
”Thousands have lived without love; not one without water.” - W.H. Auden
In 2014, Flint switched its water source in an effort to cut costs by leaving Detroit’s water system. This switch resulted in corrosion of Flint’s ancient pipes, leading to unsettling water all around - It tasted weird, it didn’t look or smell clean, and it was obvious that something wasn’t right. Residents raised concerns, repeatedly, which were basically blown off.
”For so long, the state had dragged its feet, dismissing the city as if it were too dysfunctional and impoverished for locals to be seen as an authority, even in the matters of their own lives ... Flint residents had been paying among the highest water rates in the world “for water that was not suitable for anything but flushing toilets” and they had been told to like it. The state had reversed course only after immense public pressure, a broadening media spotlight, and two independent water analyses left it with no other option”.
Michigan was largely unhelpful in addressing concerns, correcting wrongs, and taking accountability for its poor decisions and irresponsible actions. So many POS officials in this situation who publicly lauded the water as fine but drank bottled water at their offices and at home, or lived somewhere with a different water source. The Flint Water Tragedy is a classic case of government passing the buck and playing the blame game. Yes, there are policies and procedures in place for a reason, but the lack of transparency and attempted coverups when people’s health is at stake is just gross. It was infuriating though hardly surprising to read about.
Flint ultimately switched back to Detroit’s water system, a decision that took far too long to implement. The city and several of its officials face a number of lawsuits. While this situation occurred in Flint, it could’ve easily happened elsewhere - anywhere really. Clark references water issues that have occurred in NJ, DC, and even California.
”Agencies charged with protecting public health and natural resources deserve to be well-funded, proactive and oriented solely toward serving the public interest.”
The Poisoned City is a well-researched account of Flint’s water scandal, and hopefully a lesson for other cities and states to learn from.
”Thousands have lived without love; not one without water.” - W.H. Auden
In 2014, Flint switched its water source in an effort to cut costs by leaving Detroit’s water system. This switch resulted in corrosion of Flint’s ancient pipes, leading to unsettling water all around - It tasted weird, it didn’t look or smell clean, and it was obvious that something wasn’t right. Residents raised concerns, repeatedly, which were basically blown off.
”For so long, the state had dragged its feet, dismissing the city as if it were too dysfunctional and impoverished for locals to be seen as an authority, even in the matters of their own lives ... Flint residents had been paying among the highest water rates in the world “for water that was not suitable for anything but flushing toilets” and they had been told to like it. The state had reversed course only after immense public pressure, a broadening media spotlight, and two independent water analyses left it with no other option”.
Michigan was largely unhelpful in addressing concerns, correcting wrongs, and taking accountability for its poor decisions and irresponsible actions. So many POS officials in this situation who publicly lauded the water as fine but drank bottled water at their offices and at home, or lived somewhere with a different water source. The Flint Water Tragedy is a classic case of government passing the buck and playing the blame game. Yes, there are policies and procedures in place for a reason, but the lack of transparency and attempted coverups when people’s health is at stake is just gross. It was infuriating though hardly surprising to read about.
Flint ultimately switched back to Detroit’s water system, a decision that took far too long to implement. The city and several of its officials face a number of lawsuits. While this situation occurred in Flint, it could’ve easily happened elsewhere - anywhere really. Clark references water issues that have occurred in NJ, DC, and even California.
”Agencies charged with protecting public health and natural resources deserve to be well-funded, proactive and oriented solely toward serving the public interest.”
The Poisoned City is a well-researched account of Flint’s water scandal, and hopefully a lesson for other cities and states to learn from.
May 20, 2018
A woman who was a high school classmate posted on Facebook about her work distributing bottled water in Flint, Michigan through the American Red Cross. Day after day people came for a case of water. The had to make daily trips because they were only allowed one case a day. The people needed an I.D. to get the water. It was the middle of a brutal winter, and many of the people were elderly or disabled or had no cars. Church pastors came, hoping to get cases of water to deliver to their shut-ins who could not make it out.
Lori told me that the people were uninformed about the toxic water and how to be safe. Actually, the Red Cross workers didn't know what the Health Department standards would recommend. Could one bathe in the water? Use it to mix baby formula? Filters and water purifiers were distributed, but not everyone knew how to install or maintain them, and the filters only fit on certain kinds of faucets.
Setting up the warehouses and creating a system from scratch was 'chaotic,' 'hell'. Some warehouses were overstocked while others emptied quickly leaving people without water.
It was heartbreaking, Lori said.
Flint once had the highest per-capita incomes in the nation. GM founder and Flint mayor Charles Stewart Mott developed a renowned school system. The city boasted the Flint Symphony Orchestra and the Flint Institute of Arts.
My father-in-law grew up in Flint and worked for Fisher Body. His widowed mother found work at GM and participated in the Woman's Brigade during the Sit-Down Strike. His eldest son opened his professional offices in Flint and raised his family there.
When GM closed its auto plants over twenty thousand residents left. Businesses closed. The city tax base was gone and revenue sharing was sidelined to balance the state budget. An economic turndown and mortgage crisis devastated the country.
Still, Flint was Michigan's seventh largest city with 49,000 residents. The community was not down yet and neighborhood civic programs for change and betterment were led by the University of Michigan Flint, Habitat for Humanity, and church groups.
The state assigned an Emergency Manager to oversee Flint and solve its budget crisis. Buying treated water from Detroit Water and Sewerage was costly. It was decided to switch to the Karegnodi Water Authority, drawing water from Lake Huron, and process the water by reopening Flint's water treatment plant. Until the new source of water was in place they would draw water from the Flint River.
The state's environmental agency had warned that using Flint River water was a bad idea. The decision was based on cost-effectiveness. As the Detroit Free Press observed, the state had "voted for a business person" when they voted for Governor Snyder, the "bottom line" being his priority. "Governing a state as well as governing a nation is not like running a business. He and the people of Flint have found out the hard way."
Residents complained of bad smelling coffee-colored tap water, skin rashes, and illnesses. Children lost hair, suffered aches and pains. For eighteen months, the city, state and federal governments delayed action, claiming the water was safe.
Michigan is surrounded by the Great Lakes which hold one-fifth of the world's freshwater yet Flint residents were drinking tap water that was toxic.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality had suffered staff and budget cuts although monitoring the largest number of community water systems in the country.
People came down with Legionnaire's disease for years but there was no public notice about the outbreak. Forty-six patients at McLaren Hospital in Flint became ill and ten died of the disease. Four years passed before a Wayne State University investigation traced the outbreak to the switch to Flint River water and corrosion in pipes.
Every governing authority had failed the people of Flint. Water quality tests were skewed to lessen the amount of lead found. Citizens with the highest amount of lead found their test results eliminated from the results.
In 2015 the State Integrity Report Card from the Center for Public Integrity ranked Michigan dead LAST. Snyder signed bills "that did more to conceal the actions of state government," including political donors. Journalism was undergoing deep cuts, with fewer local journalists employed--a loss of local watchdogs.
The Poisoned City puts the crisis in the context of the history of Flint, the development of water sources, and legislation for environmental protection. It tells the story of the grass-roots activists who demanded justice. And how the media brought the story to the public, beginning with Michigan Public Radio which first reported the problem to Rachel Maddow who brought it to national attention.
Liability for causing environmental hazards rarely punishes the polluter. In the case of Love Canal, the New York State neighborhood poisoned by Hooker Chemicals' leaking toxic waste storage, the courts held Hooker responsible for cleanups but not punitive damages for the harm the residents suffered. The law requires evidence of intent to cause harm.
In Flint, lawsuits were filed over the poisoned water, Legionella, damaged plumbing, lost property values and paying for water only fit, as one said, to flush toilets.
The devaluation of Flint, mostly poor and African American, was evident when the EPA made the decision not to provide financial aid for buying filters because then other cities would demand them and Flint was not "the kind of community we want to go out on a limb for."
Children were being poisoned by lead in the city water lines. Dr. Hanna-Attisha studied the records of children treated at Hurley Medical Center in Flint and discovered a rise in blood-lead levels in 27,000 children. There is no 'cure' for the damage from lead poisoning.
In 2016, Governor Snyder admitted, "Government failed you--federal, state, and local leaders--by breaking the trust you placed in us. I am sorry most of all that I let you down. You deserve better." High ranking Michigan officials have legal immunity.
A class-action lawsuit did settle a deal which included $87 million for Flint to locate and replace water lines by 2020 at no cost to the homeowners. Criminal investigations brought indictments of authorities who had falsified or buried information or obstructed investigations.
Before Flint, Washington, D.C. struggled with lead in their water. Another predominately African American community was allowed to be poisoned for years before the issue was addressed.
Two American cities have been proactive about removing lead water pipes, Madison, WS and Lansing, MI. Lansing had the advantage of a city-owned system, The Board of Water and Light, and was able to completely overhaul the system, removing all lead pipes. Mayor Virge Bernero said, "...the poor suffer the most...the rich can insulate themselves...they can move out...Though ultimately, when we have a complete and utter infrastructure failure...no one is safe."
Recently, the distribution of bottled water to Flint was ended. The water lead levels have been brought to standards. But the residents no longer trust the authorities to protect them.
Nestle', who draws Michigan spring water for $200 a year for resale will provide several months of water to Flint. Actors Will and Jaden Smith have been providing water to Flint.
Flint is not the only city with lead pipes. And I shudder to consider what lies ahead if we are not able to address the aging infrastructure of America.
I received a free ebook from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
Lori told me that the people were uninformed about the toxic water and how to be safe. Actually, the Red Cross workers didn't know what the Health Department standards would recommend. Could one bathe in the water? Use it to mix baby formula? Filters and water purifiers were distributed, but not everyone knew how to install or maintain them, and the filters only fit on certain kinds of faucets.
Setting up the warehouses and creating a system from scratch was 'chaotic,' 'hell'. Some warehouses were overstocked while others emptied quickly leaving people without water.
It was heartbreaking, Lori said.
Flint once had the highest per-capita incomes in the nation. GM founder and Flint mayor Charles Stewart Mott developed a renowned school system. The city boasted the Flint Symphony Orchestra and the Flint Institute of Arts.
My father-in-law grew up in Flint and worked for Fisher Body. His widowed mother found work at GM and participated in the Woman's Brigade during the Sit-Down Strike. His eldest son opened his professional offices in Flint and raised his family there.
When GM closed its auto plants over twenty thousand residents left. Businesses closed. The city tax base was gone and revenue sharing was sidelined to balance the state budget. An economic turndown and mortgage crisis devastated the country.
Still, Flint was Michigan's seventh largest city with 49,000 residents. The community was not down yet and neighborhood civic programs for change and betterment were led by the University of Michigan Flint, Habitat for Humanity, and church groups.
The state assigned an Emergency Manager to oversee Flint and solve its budget crisis. Buying treated water from Detroit Water and Sewerage was costly. It was decided to switch to the Karegnodi Water Authority, drawing water from Lake Huron, and process the water by reopening Flint's water treatment plant. Until the new source of water was in place they would draw water from the Flint River.
The state's environmental agency had warned that using Flint River water was a bad idea. The decision was based on cost-effectiveness. As the Detroit Free Press observed, the state had "voted for a business person" when they voted for Governor Snyder, the "bottom line" being his priority. "Governing a state as well as governing a nation is not like running a business. He and the people of Flint have found out the hard way."
Residents complained of bad smelling coffee-colored tap water, skin rashes, and illnesses. Children lost hair, suffered aches and pains. For eighteen months, the city, state and federal governments delayed action, claiming the water was safe.
Michigan is surrounded by the Great Lakes which hold one-fifth of the world's freshwater yet Flint residents were drinking tap water that was toxic.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality had suffered staff and budget cuts although monitoring the largest number of community water systems in the country.
People came down with Legionnaire's disease for years but there was no public notice about the outbreak. Forty-six patients at McLaren Hospital in Flint became ill and ten died of the disease. Four years passed before a Wayne State University investigation traced the outbreak to the switch to Flint River water and corrosion in pipes.
Every governing authority had failed the people of Flint. Water quality tests were skewed to lessen the amount of lead found. Citizens with the highest amount of lead found their test results eliminated from the results.
In 2015 the State Integrity Report Card from the Center for Public Integrity ranked Michigan dead LAST. Snyder signed bills "that did more to conceal the actions of state government," including political donors. Journalism was undergoing deep cuts, with fewer local journalists employed--a loss of local watchdogs.
The Poisoned City puts the crisis in the context of the history of Flint, the development of water sources, and legislation for environmental protection. It tells the story of the grass-roots activists who demanded justice. And how the media brought the story to the public, beginning with Michigan Public Radio which first reported the problem to Rachel Maddow who brought it to national attention.
Liability for causing environmental hazards rarely punishes the polluter. In the case of Love Canal, the New York State neighborhood poisoned by Hooker Chemicals' leaking toxic waste storage, the courts held Hooker responsible for cleanups but not punitive damages for the harm the residents suffered. The law requires evidence of intent to cause harm.
In Flint, lawsuits were filed over the poisoned water, Legionella, damaged plumbing, lost property values and paying for water only fit, as one said, to flush toilets.
The devaluation of Flint, mostly poor and African American, was evident when the EPA made the decision not to provide financial aid for buying filters because then other cities would demand them and Flint was not "the kind of community we want to go out on a limb for."
Children were being poisoned by lead in the city water lines. Dr. Hanna-Attisha studied the records of children treated at Hurley Medical Center in Flint and discovered a rise in blood-lead levels in 27,000 children. There is no 'cure' for the damage from lead poisoning.
In 2016, Governor Snyder admitted, "Government failed you--federal, state, and local leaders--by breaking the trust you placed in us. I am sorry most of all that I let you down. You deserve better." High ranking Michigan officials have legal immunity.
A class-action lawsuit did settle a deal which included $87 million for Flint to locate and replace water lines by 2020 at no cost to the homeowners. Criminal investigations brought indictments of authorities who had falsified or buried information or obstructed investigations.
Before Flint, Washington, D.C. struggled with lead in their water. Another predominately African American community was allowed to be poisoned for years before the issue was addressed.
Two American cities have been proactive about removing lead water pipes, Madison, WS and Lansing, MI. Lansing had the advantage of a city-owned system, The Board of Water and Light, and was able to completely overhaul the system, removing all lead pipes. Mayor Virge Bernero said, "...the poor suffer the most...the rich can insulate themselves...they can move out...Though ultimately, when we have a complete and utter infrastructure failure...no one is safe."
Recently, the distribution of bottled water to Flint was ended. The water lead levels have been brought to standards. But the residents no longer trust the authorities to protect them.
Nestle', who draws Michigan spring water for $200 a year for resale will provide several months of water to Flint. Actors Will and Jaden Smith have been providing water to Flint.
Flint is not the only city with lead pipes. And I shudder to consider what lies ahead if we are not able to address the aging infrastructure of America.
I received a free ebook from the publisher in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.
August 24, 2018
In disclosure: I wrote it.
January 22, 2025
“The Flint water crisis illustrates how the challenges in America's shrinking cities are not a crisis of local leadership - or, at least, not solely that - but a crisis of systems. Paternalism, even if it is well meaning, cannot transcend the political, economic, and social obstacles that relegate places such as Flint to the bottom. The chronic under funding of American cities imperils the health of citizens. It also stunts their ability to become full participants in a democratic society, and it shatters their trust in the public realm. Communities that are poor and communities of color - and especially those that are both - are hurt worst of all.”
― Anna Clark, The Poisoned City: Flint's Water and the American Urban Tragedy
I remember when I first heard about the Flint water crisis. There was this feeling..and it has never really left me..that this couldn't have happened. Not in the United States. Not in this wonderful country where we look out for each other. And love each other. It was incomprehensible to me that an entire city in America could be poisoned, just like that.
Anna Clark takes us on the journey through the Flint water crisis and she does it amazingly. It is almost impossible to read this book and not be angry. An entire city was lied to, patronized, talked down to, ignored and made to feel like they were nothing.
This is not the first time we, as a nation, have screwed up. I remember reading about Enron and feeling anger. Of coarse there was the "Weapons of Mass destruction" lie, The Trayvon Martin case..I mean I could go on and on. So maybe it should not be such a shock..but it is.
This is a dense book and I will freely admit there were some parts I skimmed a bit but with that, I will also say, Anna Clark is a damn good writer. No, a great one. The research that went into telling this story must have been just..very deep. I applaud her for writing this.
There is an expression, "If you cannot imagine it, you can't believe it". I wish I could remember who that quote is by. The bottom line is..I could not imagine it..then. I remember listening to the coverage and just feeling incredulous. And angry. Sometimes evil knows no limits. I truly do not understand how some of these people can sleep at night.
So the book goes back and forth in time. Anna tells the reader so much about Flint's history, how successful they once were before urban blight came their way. She gets into the weeds on some of the people who were most affected in this shitstorm as well as introducing us to many good people who went all out to stop it. There are so many players in this story. Flint was let down by so many people.
I am a cynic. I wasn't always this way but as the years go by, don't we all become a bit more jaded? I still however, see some things through rose colored glasses. I know there was a time I would not have been able to comprehend this.
And not only is it a story of betrayal..at the highest levels..it is also a story of fear..if we cannot trust our elected officials, both at the local and national level..and .The EPA..who, for crying out loud can we trust? Can everything be bought, even death? Even the lead poisoning of little children?
I also cannot help thinking about the country's present circumstances, which came in to sharp focus as I read this. Right now, we as a country, are virtually locked in our houses trying to keep ourselves and the ones we love..safe..but we are also at the mercy of a Government, impatient to reopen, to get the economy on track, TO PROFIT..and it scares me..how far will they go? How many deaths will be acceptable? What corners will they cut, what rules will they break..in the name of money? And lawlessness.
I am not a conspiracy theorist. I do not believe that Elvis and Jim Morison are alive and secretly lounging around somewhere, (although it would be nice if they were). I do not believe 9/11 was an inside job. I am not a conspiracy theory person but I have come to believe in utter and complete ruthlessness and that some people ..for whatever a reason..lack of a soul, addiction to power, simply not having an ounce of humanity..I have come to believe in those things over the years and you will find much of that in this book.
I think this is an important book. I cannot say it's a fun read. My only negative is how dense it is and the constant back and forth in time. But I do not happen to like that format. It also made the book a bit confusing for me but regardless, I would strongly recommend this book and believe me, it is full of bravery, fearlessness and love as well. And God Bless Rachel Maddow. We need more journalists like her.
I hope this writer thinks seriously about getting in to the weeds of the Corona Virus and maybe writing a book on it. I thin k she would be the perfect person to do so. Highly, Highly recommended.
― Anna Clark, The Poisoned City: Flint's Water and the American Urban Tragedy
I remember when I first heard about the Flint water crisis. There was this feeling..and it has never really left me..that this couldn't have happened. Not in the United States. Not in this wonderful country where we look out for each other. And love each other. It was incomprehensible to me that an entire city in America could be poisoned, just like that.
Anna Clark takes us on the journey through the Flint water crisis and she does it amazingly. It is almost impossible to read this book and not be angry. An entire city was lied to, patronized, talked down to, ignored and made to feel like they were nothing.
This is not the first time we, as a nation, have screwed up. I remember reading about Enron and feeling anger. Of coarse there was the "Weapons of Mass destruction" lie, The Trayvon Martin case..I mean I could go on and on. So maybe it should not be such a shock..but it is.
This is a dense book and I will freely admit there were some parts I skimmed a bit but with that, I will also say, Anna Clark is a damn good writer. No, a great one. The research that went into telling this story must have been just..very deep. I applaud her for writing this.
There is an expression, "If you cannot imagine it, you can't believe it". I wish I could remember who that quote is by. The bottom line is..I could not imagine it..then. I remember listening to the coverage and just feeling incredulous. And angry. Sometimes evil knows no limits. I truly do not understand how some of these people can sleep at night.
So the book goes back and forth in time. Anna tells the reader so much about Flint's history, how successful they once were before urban blight came their way. She gets into the weeds on some of the people who were most affected in this shitstorm as well as introducing us to many good people who went all out to stop it. There are so many players in this story. Flint was let down by so many people.
I am a cynic. I wasn't always this way but as the years go by, don't we all become a bit more jaded? I still however, see some things through rose colored glasses. I know there was a time I would not have been able to comprehend this.
And not only is it a story of betrayal..at the highest levels..it is also a story of fear..if we cannot trust our elected officials, both at the local and national level..and .The EPA..who, for crying out loud can we trust? Can everything be bought, even death? Even the lead poisoning of little children?
I also cannot help thinking about the country's present circumstances, which came in to sharp focus as I read this. Right now, we as a country, are virtually locked in our houses trying to keep ourselves and the ones we love..safe..but we are also at the mercy of a Government, impatient to reopen, to get the economy on track, TO PROFIT..and it scares me..how far will they go? How many deaths will be acceptable? What corners will they cut, what rules will they break..in the name of money? And lawlessness.
I am not a conspiracy theorist. I do not believe that Elvis and Jim Morison are alive and secretly lounging around somewhere, (although it would be nice if they were). I do not believe 9/11 was an inside job. I am not a conspiracy theory person but I have come to believe in utter and complete ruthlessness and that some people ..for whatever a reason..lack of a soul, addiction to power, simply not having an ounce of humanity..I have come to believe in those things over the years and you will find much of that in this book.
I think this is an important book. I cannot say it's a fun read. My only negative is how dense it is and the constant back and forth in time. But I do not happen to like that format. It also made the book a bit confusing for me but regardless, I would strongly recommend this book and believe me, it is full of bravery, fearlessness and love as well. And God Bless Rachel Maddow. We need more journalists like her.
I hope this writer thinks seriously about getting in to the weeds of the Corona Virus and maybe writing a book on it. I thin k she would be the perfect person to do so. Highly, Highly recommended.
February 3, 2019
An important and informative work about the Flint water crisis of 2016. Well written with a story-telling style that is not usually seen in micro-history books. The writing is so solid that the meandering arc of the book and the tangential stories and histories about Flint were truly welcome and interesting.
There are no mastermind villains, in the classic sense, of this well publicized environmental tragedy: a story of death and illness from lead poisoning and legionaries disease that nearly went without investigation. Flint and her neglected populace of 50,000 was once wealthy a place but Flint’s been in a serious economic decline for more than thirty years. When Flint almost went belly up during the financial crisis of a decade ago, the financial governance of the city was put in the hands of a state appointed emergency manager.
Lack of traditional oversight led to a new water contract with a private water company to replace an already functioning water system supplied by Detroit. The ill advised change was done for ostensibly little more reason than to make a company rich. The disastrous timing of the move was the first step in the tragedy. In the transition period the water was not treated with enough anti-corrosion chemicals and this mistake allowed lead and iron from the old pipes to leach into the residential water supply. As a further insult to the lead poisoning tragedy, the exceedingly high levels of iron neutralized the chlorine which was needed to kill bacteria such as legionella. This chain of events then caused two deadly outbreaks of legionnaires disease.
Many concerned citizens, journalists and scientists did not place much trust in the city, state or EPA when they saw the sludge coming from their taps. To their credit, they doggedly brought the issues to the nations’s attention. A good portion of the book tells of the individual coverups on the part of city, state and federal officials. The coverups and delays cost dozens of lives and life long complications for hundreds of children and adults solely from the lead and toxin exposure.
Later chapters cover the charging of nearly a dozen officials with various crimes, including, for some, more serious charges of manslaughter. An independent counsel was appointed by the governor for prosecution. Ironically the state of Michigan simultaneously played both prosecutor and defense in much of the litigation. Many of the cases were still being litigated when the book was published.
The Poisoned City is a must read if you like environmental books, or even if you like history or want to know more about what potential water quality problems might be lurking in thousands of large communities across the country. The book is also reminiscent of Toms River, the award winning investigative book on the systematic polluting in New Jersey.
Five stars.
There are no mastermind villains, in the classic sense, of this well publicized environmental tragedy: a story of death and illness from lead poisoning and legionaries disease that nearly went without investigation. Flint and her neglected populace of 50,000 was once wealthy a place but Flint’s been in a serious economic decline for more than thirty years. When Flint almost went belly up during the financial crisis of a decade ago, the financial governance of the city was put in the hands of a state appointed emergency manager.
Lack of traditional oversight led to a new water contract with a private water company to replace an already functioning water system supplied by Detroit. The ill advised change was done for ostensibly little more reason than to make a company rich. The disastrous timing of the move was the first step in the tragedy. In the transition period the water was not treated with enough anti-corrosion chemicals and this mistake allowed lead and iron from the old pipes to leach into the residential water supply. As a further insult to the lead poisoning tragedy, the exceedingly high levels of iron neutralized the chlorine which was needed to kill bacteria such as legionella. This chain of events then caused two deadly outbreaks of legionnaires disease.
Many concerned citizens, journalists and scientists did not place much trust in the city, state or EPA when they saw the sludge coming from their taps. To their credit, they doggedly brought the issues to the nations’s attention. A good portion of the book tells of the individual coverups on the part of city, state and federal officials. The coverups and delays cost dozens of lives and life long complications for hundreds of children and adults solely from the lead and toxin exposure.
Later chapters cover the charging of nearly a dozen officials with various crimes, including, for some, more serious charges of manslaughter. An independent counsel was appointed by the governor for prosecution. Ironically the state of Michigan simultaneously played both prosecutor and defense in much of the litigation. Many of the cases were still being litigated when the book was published.
The Poisoned City is a must read if you like environmental books, or even if you like history or want to know more about what potential water quality problems might be lurking in thousands of large communities across the country. The book is also reminiscent of Toms River, the award winning investigative book on the systematic polluting in New Jersey.
Five stars.
May 14, 2020
This is the story of an incredible breach of the public trust. It was a betrayal at multiple levels with racial overtones beginning with deterioration of the central city core as was typical of many industrial cities in the American Midwest. In the case of Flint, Michigan it was placed under "emergency" management by the governor of the state—taking power away from the City government. The appointed financial person in charge was keen to make changes that would ease the City's dire financial situation.
Consequently, one of the changes made to save money was to stop purchasing water from Detroit and instead began using water from the Flint River using a standby water treatment plant. Financially the switch made sense, but the technical staff wasn't ready.
It wasn’t until certain individuals who had the correct connections and on their own initiative finally came up with data to show that the water in some homes contained extremely high concentrations of dissolved lead and failed many other quality parameters that things began to change. Even when the initial data was known, months passed filled with apparent attempts to cover up and obstruct efforts to determine and document the full extent of the danger of poisoning from the water.
Finally, when the full extent of the danger was made known corrective action was taken, and the water source has been changed back to Detroit. Subsequently, criminal charges have been brought against many of the individuals who were part of obstruction and coverup of the problems. Involuntary manslaughter were added to the charges after data showed an increased incidence of deaths due to the water.
Along with the story of Flint’s water, readers of this book also get short lessons in the history of the development of water utilities, some description of elementary water treatment chemistry, the story of the deterioration of inner cities, and an account of the politics of favoring those moving to the suburbs. It seems the city of Flint was poisoned by institutional racism and neglect years before they were poisoned by their water.
The potential danger from water picking up dissolved lead from water pipes has been known in the water industry for many years. A widely publicized incident occurred in Washington DC in the early 2000s. One would think that the MDEQ, and City water staff would have been keen to avoid the same mistakes. It's hard to explain how it wouldn't have occurred to those in charge that changing water sources without extensive treatment for chemical stability could lead to this sort of problem.
A recent ENR article about the problem of lead in water utility piping is in the following
Consequently, one of the changes made to save money was to stop purchasing water from Detroit and instead began using water from the Flint River using a standby water treatment plant. Financially the switch made sense, but the technical staff wasn't ready.
The month of the water switch, Michael Glasgow, Flint's utilities administrator, didn't believe the plant was ready. He emailed three people at the MDEQ, the state environmental agency, with a warning. "I have people above me making plans" to distribute the water as soon as possible, Glasgow wrote, but "I do not anticipate giving the OK to begin sending water out anytime soon. If water is distributed from this plant in the next couple of weeks, it will be against my direction. I need time to adequately train additional staff and to update our monitoring plans before I will feel we are ready.The change was made promptly in splite of Glasgow's warning, and the water from the new source turned out to be chemically unstable which dissolved the protective layer on the interior of the distribution piping. Consequently, the water ate into the rust layer on the pipe walls. What followed was eighteen months of customer complaints about the discolored and bad tasting water. The complaints were ignored, and one can't help but wonder if the fact that many of those complaining were African American was part of the reason why they were ignored.
It wasn’t until certain individuals who had the correct connections and on their own initiative finally came up with data to show that the water in some homes contained extremely high concentrations of dissolved lead and failed many other quality parameters that things began to change. Even when the initial data was known, months passed filled with apparent attempts to cover up and obstruct efforts to determine and document the full extent of the danger of poisoning from the water.
Finally, when the full extent of the danger was made known corrective action was taken, and the water source has been changed back to Detroit. Subsequently, criminal charges have been brought against many of the individuals who were part of obstruction and coverup of the problems. Involuntary manslaughter were added to the charges after data showed an increased incidence of deaths due to the water.
Along with the story of Flint’s water, readers of this book also get short lessons in the history of the development of water utilities, some description of elementary water treatment chemistry, the story of the deterioration of inner cities, and an account of the politics of favoring those moving to the suburbs. It seems the city of Flint was poisoned by institutional racism and neglect years before they were poisoned by their water.
The potential danger from water picking up dissolved lead from water pipes has been known in the water industry for many years. A widely publicized incident occurred in Washington DC in the early 2000s. One would think that the MDEQ, and City water staff would have been keen to avoid the same mistakes. It's hard to explain how it wouldn't have occurred to those in charge that changing water sources without extensive treatment for chemical stability could lead to this sort of problem.
A recent ENR article about the problem of lead in water utility piping is in the following
July 14, 2018
This is a huge ‘wake-up’ call for all of us who take for granted that the water that comes out of our taps is safe. We trust that our Public Works departments are doing their jobs to ensure that the water is treated correctly—and that the County, the State, and Federal Government will do their jobs to ensure that all municipalities provide safe water to their residents. What happened in Flint was caused by catastrophic failures at every level of Government.
Flint has fallen on hard times, far from the days when its residents earned above average pay due to the plethora of auto factories. Many of the plants have closed. Residents moved to other cities for jobs. The State slashed revenue sharing. And it certainly didn’t help that a majority of its residents are people of color.
However, what does endure is a great community. I have participated in several of the 10K races (The Crim) held in the city and the residents are AWESOME in their support. It is this sense of community that helped the residents to organize, demonstrate and demand action from their governmental entities. It was the community that worked with scientists (Mark Edwards from Virginia Tech) to sample water throughout the city.
One of the heroes in this story is Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician that collated the data regarding lead levels in Flint’s children. And much can be said for the role journalists played in bringing the story to the public—particularly Rachel Maddow for her national exposure of Flint’s water problems.
But people died from Legionaire’s Disease. Pets died from drinking the water. People were sickened. And children will live from the effects of lead poisoning for the rest of their lives. None of us should take our water for granted—ever, ever again.
Flint has fallen on hard times, far from the days when its residents earned above average pay due to the plethora of auto factories. Many of the plants have closed. Residents moved to other cities for jobs. The State slashed revenue sharing. And it certainly didn’t help that a majority of its residents are people of color.
However, what does endure is a great community. I have participated in several of the 10K races (The Crim) held in the city and the residents are AWESOME in their support. It is this sense of community that helped the residents to organize, demonstrate and demand action from their governmental entities. It was the community that worked with scientists (Mark Edwards from Virginia Tech) to sample water throughout the city.
One of the heroes in this story is Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, the pediatrician that collated the data regarding lead levels in Flint’s children. And much can be said for the role journalists played in bringing the story to the public—particularly Rachel Maddow for her national exposure of Flint’s water problems.
But people died from Legionaire’s Disease. Pets died from drinking the water. People were sickened. And children will live from the effects of lead poisoning for the rest of their lives. None of us should take our water for granted—ever, ever again.
August 29, 2018
This is a very important book. There really is no arguing this. It has a lot of great information… Maybe too information?
I know what you're thinking -- "Amy, how can a nonfiction book about a city essentially poisoning its citizens have too much information?"
It's just that this book that really should have been riveting, but it was basically a 320 page information dump about the crisis. This is a book that really would have benefited by weaving human interest in with the facts of this story.
We are talking about a whole city who will face negative effects of this negligence for ultimately generations. Lead poisoning doesn't just go away. It is hugely human interest. Thousands of lives are affected, and these lives are ultimately left out of this story.
It's frankly shocking how this crisis could even occur in what is generally considered one of the most powerful nations in the world. We generally stick our noses in every other countries' affairs, but politicians here look the other way while its citizens are poisoned. This is a story you expect to hear in impoverished countries. Not here. And we also have to asked… Could a crisis like this happen is an American city that is predominately upper white class instead of a city that is predominately poor and black?
I know what you're thinking -- "Amy, how can a nonfiction book about a city essentially poisoning its citizens have too much information?"
It's just that this book that really should have been riveting, but it was basically a 320 page information dump about the crisis. This is a book that really would have benefited by weaving human interest in with the facts of this story.
We are talking about a whole city who will face negative effects of this negligence for ultimately generations. Lead poisoning doesn't just go away. It is hugely human interest. Thousands of lives are affected, and these lives are ultimately left out of this story.
It's frankly shocking how this crisis could even occur in what is generally considered one of the most powerful nations in the world. We generally stick our noses in every other countries' affairs, but politicians here look the other way while its citizens are poisoned. This is a story you expect to hear in impoverished countries. Not here. And we also have to asked… Could a crisis like this happen is an American city that is predominately upper white class instead of a city that is predominately poor and black?
Read
May 7, 2018Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing an advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review.
This book is phenomenal, and I believe anyone who wants to get a good understanding of the water crisis in Flint should read this book. It's incredibly well-researched and provides background on all the factors behind the water crisis and talks about systemic racism, the history behind lead pipes, and environmental racism that has lead to POC being the most harmed from environmental disasters.
Everyone should read this book and be reminded that man-made environmental crisis' are prevalent even when they are not talked about. Phenomenal book, I think everyone should read it.
This book is phenomenal, and I believe anyone who wants to get a good understanding of the water crisis in Flint should read this book. It's incredibly well-researched and provides background on all the factors behind the water crisis and talks about systemic racism, the history behind lead pipes, and environmental racism that has lead to POC being the most harmed from environmental disasters.
Everyone should read this book and be reminded that man-made environmental crisis' are prevalent even when they are not talked about. Phenomenal book, I think everyone should read it.
June 3, 2018
Everyone - EVERYONE - should read this.
October 21, 2019
Sad tale of how the citizens of Flint had to fight for their right to have clean and safe drinking water. The true story also provides another example of how, at times, the decisions that government makes have little consideration for helping the poor and minorities enjoy the same sense of environmental justice and rights that the affluent have. Community means that we take care and look out for each other without exclusion.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
July 28, 2018
Thank you Henry Holt #Partner for sending me a free copy of this book, in exchange of an honest review.
I rate this a 5 out of 5 Stars.
Bare with me guys, this will be my first time reviewing a non-fiction book, but this one is very important to me, and something I think EVERYONE should be made aware of. The City of Flint, is something I am fascinated with for many reasons, not just the water crisis, but also the city as a whole. Have you seen the docu-series on Netflix called Flint Town? If you haven't I would highly advise watching it.
What I discovered reading this book is, it's so much more than the water crisis, it's the racism, the poverty, the politics, the infrastructure of the city, the money crisis,that's what makes this city suffer and all of that is touched upon in this book. What the people of Flint have to endure, and still have to suffer through is enough to break my heart. They deserved better, they still do.
This book was very well thought out, it was researched incredibly well, and I really enjoyed reading it. It took me a bit longer to read it than fiction books, but it's a very intense topic. Reading this, I just kept reminding myself, this isn't a movie, this isn't fiction, this is real life, and this is what people go through in Flint. Can you imagine waking up one day, to being poisoned by your water? To complain to the city, to be told not to use your water, but hey you still have to pay for it!! It's insane to me!
If all fiction books were written this way, I would most definitely read more. Major kudos to Anna Clark.
I rate this a 5 out of 5 Stars.
Bare with me guys, this will be my first time reviewing a non-fiction book, but this one is very important to me, and something I think EVERYONE should be made aware of. The City of Flint, is something I am fascinated with for many reasons, not just the water crisis, but also the city as a whole. Have you seen the docu-series on Netflix called Flint Town? If you haven't I would highly advise watching it.
What I discovered reading this book is, it's so much more than the water crisis, it's the racism, the poverty, the politics, the infrastructure of the city, the money crisis,that's what makes this city suffer and all of that is touched upon in this book. What the people of Flint have to endure, and still have to suffer through is enough to break my heart. They deserved better, they still do.
This book was very well thought out, it was researched incredibly well, and I really enjoyed reading it. It took me a bit longer to read it than fiction books, but it's a very intense topic. Reading this, I just kept reminding myself, this isn't a movie, this isn't fiction, this is real life, and this is what people go through in Flint. Can you imagine waking up one day, to being poisoned by your water? To complain to the city, to be told not to use your water, but hey you still have to pay for it!! It's insane to me!
If all fiction books were written this way, I would most definitely read more. Major kudos to Anna Clark.
July 10, 2018
A well written, organized, and researched account of the water crisis in Flint. Clark does an excellent job providing the reader with an understanding of the situation that is all-encompassing of the contemporary and historically rooted issues that culminated into the many problems of Flint's water crisis. She provides historical background on all of these elements - from contributing factors such as the presence of lead in our society and racism in Flint's history, to the history of activism and social justice in Flint and the rest of the US. Clark makes a call to action, asking our governments to be proactive in preventing catastrophes when it comes to providing citizens with drinking water. An underlining theme: its the communities, activists and individuals who are smart enough to learn from history and take steps in avoiding mistakes of the past - but people in government are not so intelligent. Clark's telling of the Flint water crisis notes how our communities are shining in response to disaster, while people in local and state governments are failing those communities by refusing to take necessary preventative actions.
January 9, 2019
So, a quick recap of what I got from this book. A city manager decided to cut cost on water by changing the water sources. As a result of this douchbag’s decision, Flint residents were exposed to lead in their water system for months. Lead poisoning does permanent damage!!!(like….wtf!!!!)
I’m not done, then residents were lied to by multiple politicians, from city managers, agencies reporting to Governor Rick Snyder, and Gov. Snyder himself. The people of Flint repeatedly expressed concerns about poor water quality and were ignored. Once the crisis was confirmed, the solution came excruciatingly slowly. (again wtf!)
And now the media jumps in with articles giving untrue information: “the Flint River wasn’t contaminated or toxic.” or “The problem was never the river.” “It was Flint’s failure to comply with water processing standards that caused the contamination.” This lead-laced water killed 12 people!!!! 12 people died over the dollar…smh This book drained me emotionally. Yes, read this book.
I’m not done, then residents were lied to by multiple politicians, from city managers, agencies reporting to Governor Rick Snyder, and Gov. Snyder himself. The people of Flint repeatedly expressed concerns about poor water quality and were ignored. Once the crisis was confirmed, the solution came excruciatingly slowly. (again wtf!)
And now the media jumps in with articles giving untrue information: “the Flint River wasn’t contaminated or toxic.” or “The problem was never the river.” “It was Flint’s failure to comply with water processing standards that caused the contamination.” This lead-laced water killed 12 people!!!! 12 people died over the dollar…smh This book drained me emotionally. Yes, read this book.
August 7, 2018
This is a must read. Shocking - you will think differently about topics such as city infrastructure and the trustworthiness of our supposed EPA protectors and city governments.
February 3, 2019
Anna Clark deserves all kudos for her work here, in this meticulously written (and footnoted!) book. This is what you need to know about governmental negligence, deceit, institutionalized racism, and the corruption that allowed the Flint water crisis to happen. But she's also great at recognizing the courage of the pastors from the Flint churches, and the people who first tried to get the attention of the authorities. Yes, she gives some recognition to the people from outside who came in rather late in the process (but who have received most of the accolades), but the focus is always on the community,and the early and essential work they did before anyone was listening.
Her moral outrage is very clear, but she has covered her legal ass by lengthy footnotes. They, too, are interesting to read and helped me realize how much a journalist has to go through these days to protect herself. They reinforce the text in matters of her reader's legal and scientific education.
This book might be on my list of essential reading on environmental issues right now. For everyone in developed societies so they can realize the fragilities of the infrastuctures that support us. For people who, like me, live in Michigan, it's a deep lesson on what the local government has done to destroy it's own advertising and branding -- "Pure Michigan!" Indeed!
Her moral outrage is very clear, but she has covered her legal ass by lengthy footnotes. They, too, are interesting to read and helped me realize how much a journalist has to go through these days to protect herself. They reinforce the text in matters of her reader's legal and scientific education.
This book might be on my list of essential reading on environmental issues right now. For everyone in developed societies so they can realize the fragilities of the infrastuctures that support us. For people who, like me, live in Michigan, it's a deep lesson on what the local government has done to destroy it's own advertising and branding -- "Pure Michigan!" Indeed!
May 21, 2018
Anna Clark's "A Poisoned City" is such a well researched and damning account of the Flint, Michigan water crisis, reveals who is responsible, and what led to it. It truly is a sickening account of how poor decisions by “leadership” and greed can come together and affect children and families for something so basic as water. I have been following this crisis since Rachel Maddow brought it to our collective attention, and must say this book was hard to read at times. Not that it isn’t eloquently executed. It is. Not that it isn’t true. It is. Not that it isn’t fascinating. It is. It is that in the United States of America in 2018, children still don’t have safe water, and Washington doesn’t seem to care.
I will be recommending this to as many people as possible, and likely using it as a book club selection for a group I facilitate. The more people who are aware of the politics of water, the better. I can’t say enough positives about this book. I am just so sorry it had to be written.
A solid five stars.
Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for a pre-publication ebook in exchange for an honest review.
I will be recommending this to as many people as possible, and likely using it as a book club selection for a group I facilitate. The more people who are aware of the politics of water, the better. I can’t say enough positives about this book. I am just so sorry it had to be written.
A solid five stars.
Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for a pre-publication ebook in exchange for an honest review.
January 11, 2019
This was a heartbreaking, infuriating read, and yet I'm glad I did. An in-depth, long-term account of Flint's water crisis, it's also a meditation on the ways that city infrastructures everywhere are suffering from neglect and endangering the most vulnerable. When pundits talk of institutionalized racism, situations like Flint's are what they mean: redlined communities, dangerous infrastructure failures, and a society that doesn't listen when locals complain of those hazards, while eventually rewarding only the outsiders who helped community activists bring the problem to light.
September 15, 2023
“the disparate response” to the crisis— the delays and dismissals— was “the result of systemic racism that was built into the foundation and growth of Flint, its industry, and the suburban area surrounding it.” Decades of segregation created a cascading series of problems that prove the error in the “separate but equal” doctrine espoused by a flawed U.S. Supreme Court decision more than a century earlier."
“it is not enough to say the result is unintended.” We must recognize that “being colorblind is not the solution, it is the problem.”
The above pretty much says it all in a nutshell, this book was on the short side but it definitely packed a wallop, and I fear that unfortunately for all of us, Flint is not the only time this kind of preventable disaster will happen, after all, who the heck knows what is in our drinking water these days?
“it is not enough to say the result is unintended.” We must recognize that “being colorblind is not the solution, it is the problem.”
The above pretty much says it all in a nutshell, this book was on the short side but it definitely packed a wallop, and I fear that unfortunately for all of us, Flint is not the only time this kind of preventable disaster will happen, after all, who the heck knows what is in our drinking water these days?
August 12, 2018
I found this uncomfortable to read and not in the good way. My rating in no way reflects the importance of learning about the water crisis in Flint, but solely how this author wrote about it. I also acknowledge that while the concerns I present made me feel uncomfortable, that other readers learning about the Flint water crisis through this book is an important success to be appreciated.
To preface, this writer is neither from Flint, nor lives in Flint. As an outsider, I expected her writing to focus fully on portraying the water crisis as a very real emergency. Instead, this book often felt like a novel, like fiction. She starts off by dedicating this book, what's supposed to be a non-fiction expose about the Flint water crisis, to her loving family. I was confused. This book isn't supposed to be about her, or her family, who appear to have no personal conneciton to Flint. To me, this felt self-congratulatory - a look mom and dad, I wrote a book moment. I moved past this to the next page, to a Toni Morrison quote about water. I felt uncomfortable again. This is supposed to be a non-fiction recounting, not a literary work. The use of flowery quotes from famous authors is seen throughout every single chapter of this book. The juxtaposition of quotes from Homer and Thoreau with chapter titles like "Divintation", "Water's Perfect Memory" and "Alchemy" really solidified my feeling that I was reading a work of fiction.
And here are a few examples of the way Clark to describes scenes:
"Men in jewel-toned ties grinned and held their clear plastic cups high." (13)
"The old alchemists believed lead could be spun into gold. [...] Back then, there was scarcely a difference between wizardry and science." (82)
"In the leafy college town of Ann Arbor, at the headquarters of Michigan Radio, someone was watching." (117)
"The wheel turned. Flint entered a new year. Nights came early and stayed late. People switched on their lamps and stayed home in the warmth." (166)
"The Flint River shone, as bright as if it were its own source of light. Trees tiled toward their own reflections, their leaves thick with shades of green tha can be found only in late August. (195)
These flowery lines took me away from the facts Clark was trying to present. To me, scientific and non-fiction writing shouldn't be flowery. It should present the case as it is so as not to distance readers from the reality of the situation. There were also a few cases of where Clark used flowery writing in a way that dampened the point she was trying to make. For example, Clark says, "In an echo of how women once ingested lead to control their reproduction, an estimated 275 fewer children were born than expeceted during the emergency." (7) This line, to me, did not sound as harsh as the reality is - women are being poisoned with lead against their knowledge or consent in Flint, which has severely impacted their health and control over their bodies. The comparison to women using lead "willingly" made it feel less severe. Clark also doesn't expand upon this example, doesn't say that the women who ingested lead "willingly" felt they had no other options or even that they also experienced the very negative side effects of ingesting lead. Clark then goes on to list side effects of the water crisis - including children growing sick and people dying from disease, which she follows by saying that the distrust in the government was one the worst side effects. I'm gonna say no to that. Yes, it's awful not being able to trust the government, but I found it tasteless to put distrust on the same level of severity as death.
Overall, I had too many uncomfortable moments with this writing. I wanted this to present the reality of Flint's water crisis, but instead felt as though Clark was a novelist, focusing on how her writing sounded as opposed to the actual issue she was presenting.
That said, I'm glad that others are able to read and learn from this piece. And I hope that the distancing I felt is less prevelant for those who use this book to learn more about the current situation.
To preface, this writer is neither from Flint, nor lives in Flint. As an outsider, I expected her writing to focus fully on portraying the water crisis as a very real emergency. Instead, this book often felt like a novel, like fiction. She starts off by dedicating this book, what's supposed to be a non-fiction expose about the Flint water crisis, to her loving family. I was confused. This book isn't supposed to be about her, or her family, who appear to have no personal conneciton to Flint. To me, this felt self-congratulatory - a look mom and dad, I wrote a book moment. I moved past this to the next page, to a Toni Morrison quote about water. I felt uncomfortable again. This is supposed to be a non-fiction recounting, not a literary work. The use of flowery quotes from famous authors is seen throughout every single chapter of this book. The juxtaposition of quotes from Homer and Thoreau with chapter titles like "Divintation", "Water's Perfect Memory" and "Alchemy" really solidified my feeling that I was reading a work of fiction.
And here are a few examples of the way Clark to describes scenes:
"Men in jewel-toned ties grinned and held their clear plastic cups high." (13)
"The old alchemists believed lead could be spun into gold. [...] Back then, there was scarcely a difference between wizardry and science." (82)
"In the leafy college town of Ann Arbor, at the headquarters of Michigan Radio, someone was watching." (117)
"The wheel turned. Flint entered a new year. Nights came early and stayed late. People switched on their lamps and stayed home in the warmth." (166)
"The Flint River shone, as bright as if it were its own source of light. Trees tiled toward their own reflections, their leaves thick with shades of green tha can be found only in late August. (195)
These flowery lines took me away from the facts Clark was trying to present. To me, scientific and non-fiction writing shouldn't be flowery. It should present the case as it is so as not to distance readers from the reality of the situation. There were also a few cases of where Clark used flowery writing in a way that dampened the point she was trying to make. For example, Clark says, "In an echo of how women once ingested lead to control their reproduction, an estimated 275 fewer children were born than expeceted during the emergency." (7) This line, to me, did not sound as harsh as the reality is - women are being poisoned with lead against their knowledge or consent in Flint, which has severely impacted their health and control over their bodies. The comparison to women using lead "willingly" made it feel less severe. Clark also doesn't expand upon this example, doesn't say that the women who ingested lead "willingly" felt they had no other options or even that they also experienced the very negative side effects of ingesting lead. Clark then goes on to list side effects of the water crisis - including children growing sick and people dying from disease, which she follows by saying that the distrust in the government was one the worst side effects. I'm gonna say no to that. Yes, it's awful not being able to trust the government, but I found it tasteless to put distrust on the same level of severity as death.
Overall, I had too many uncomfortable moments with this writing. I wanted this to present the reality of Flint's water crisis, but instead felt as though Clark was a novelist, focusing on how her writing sounded as opposed to the actual issue she was presenting.
That said, I'm glad that others are able to read and learn from this piece. And I hope that the distancing I felt is less prevelant for those who use this book to learn more about the current situation.
August 20, 2019
All the glowing reviews of this book have me confused. While this book is definitely important because it covers an important environmental issue, I had an issue with the writing. While I do appreciate when a topic is well researched, this was a little too research heavy. It read more like a grad school research paper than a journalistic nonfiction novel. There were so many facts and history thrown in that it became really dense, and a 200 page book seemed much longer than it needed to be.
What I was hoping for was some more human interest stories. I wanted to hear more from the people who lived it, who were poisoned by the water and anyone on the government side who didn't do anything about it. That's what I felt this book lacked, interviews with the people involved or affected. I did however learn some interesting new facts, like why the elemental number for lead is Pb and about the importance of corrosion control.
Maybe this book is highly rated because it brings attention to a major event in our history that many people don't know much of other then the very basics. Maybe there isn't much information out there to bring light to the water situation and because of that fact this book is important. Whatever the case, I don't think as highly of this book as a lot of reviewers seem to. I don't regret reading this because I think it's a very important topic to be more informed on. I just wish it wasn't so heavy on the research and had more personal stories in it.
What I was hoping for was some more human interest stories. I wanted to hear more from the people who lived it, who were poisoned by the water and anyone on the government side who didn't do anything about it. That's what I felt this book lacked, interviews with the people involved or affected. I did however learn some interesting new facts, like why the elemental number for lead is Pb and about the importance of corrosion control.
Maybe this book is highly rated because it brings attention to a major event in our history that many people don't know much of other then the very basics. Maybe there isn't much information out there to bring light to the water situation and because of that fact this book is important. Whatever the case, I don't think as highly of this book as a lot of reviewers seem to. I don't regret reading this because I think it's a very important topic to be more informed on. I just wish it wasn't so heavy on the research and had more personal stories in it.
December 12, 2018
This is essential reading for all people who drink municipal water...not just for people in Flint. Lead pipes and service lines are everywhere and are aging quickly, many are over 80 years old. They're not visible, and thus easily forgotten, and it is time for our local and federal governments to take action to protect the population.
April 20, 2022
I recently met Anna Clark through a mutual friend, and had enjoyed my conversation with her about the work that she does. She mentioned an article that she wrote recently that was published by ProPublica about the low graduation rates/high tuition rates of Baker College in Michigan, and found it really interesting. I did a quick google search to see what other of her works were available, and was excited to find this book. While I feel like I had a pretty solid grasp of the Flint water crisis through local news, this book filled in many gaps that I had in the whole story. Anna's writing is great - sometimes nonfiction can feel sluggish while details are being shared, but in this case, I had no issues. It's an important story to read and learn about.
April 16, 2025
A well-written, concise novel about the horrific tragedy of the Flint water crisis. Clark did a great job of writing about a complex topic through various narratives, many that highlighted the grassroots movement and heroism of the residents of Flint.
The crisis began with the decision by Flint to switch from water supplied by Detroit, which was safe but extremely expensive, and join a new water authority. This new authority would take some time to come alive and until then, the Flit River would be used. The river water wasn't properly treated which caused the old lead pipes to leak lead.
This novel is a great study in government greed and ego, and a lesson in what happens when you constantly put profits over people's lives. Highly recommend!
The crisis began with the decision by Flint to switch from water supplied by Detroit, which was safe but extremely expensive, and join a new water authority. This new authority would take some time to come alive and until then, the Flit River would be used. The river water wasn't properly treated which caused the old lead pipes to leak lead.
This novel is a great study in government greed and ego, and a lesson in what happens when you constantly put profits over people's lives. Highly recommend!
Read
December 4, 2024every time i read non-fiction i feel so much smarter than everyone around me. and yes i DMed brittany broski several of the fun facts i learned reading this book since i thought she’d appreciate them.
January 31, 2023
I’m so glad I read this. I’ve felt guilty at times for not having a full picture of why and how this tragedy in my home state occurred. The full picture is horrifying and infuriating. This book is very well written and is a fairly quick read despite its heavy subject matter. If you care, even a little, about environmental justice, then this book is an excellent and necessary read.
November 11, 2019
Just as it was once difficult to prove the symptoms of lead poisoning were the direct result of lead exposure, so it is hard to prove environmental justice. In law, so much depends on showing intention, or motive, to cause harm. But in environmental crimes - a school built on top of hazardous chemicals, a water system turned toxic - it is unlikely that anyone PURPOSEFULLY tried to poison children or deliberately contaminated the drinking water. The people weren't targeted one way or another. And no single decision can be blamed for the harm. Much like the structural forces over several decades that left Flint half-empty, evil intent is not necessary for evil consequences. - A. Clark, From Chapter 11 "Truth and Reconciliation," page 189
I found this while browsing in my local library and picked it up (1) because public health is a topic I always find interesting and (2) I had heard about the Flint water crisis - no one who hasn't had their head buried in sand could have missed it - but the information I knew of was incomplete due to reading an article here and hearing a news segment there. I picked up The Poisoned City to get a fuller understanding of what had happened and why.
I'm not sure what my expectations of The Poisoned City would be, but the book itself blew them out of the water. By turns, the story of Flint as it is presented here - complete, in chronological order, and with background information - stirs up such a mix of complex emotion that it is impossible to describe here. It was a difficult read for its description of human suffering and the rage-inducing decisions that made that suffering both possible and likely. As articulated in the quote above, which references both Flint and Love Canal, individuals and organizations do not need to act out of malice for their decisions and actions to destroy the lives of others.
Both for the many issues that The Poisoned City deals with - aging infrastructure, water safety, racism, housing, governmental transparency and environmental justice, among others - and for its relevance to the biggest public health crisis in recent memory, this is a book that everyone should read.
I found this while browsing in my local library and picked it up (1) because public health is a topic I always find interesting and (2) I had heard about the Flint water crisis - no one who hasn't had their head buried in sand could have missed it - but the information I knew of was incomplete due to reading an article here and hearing a news segment there. I picked up The Poisoned City to get a fuller understanding of what had happened and why.
I'm not sure what my expectations of The Poisoned City would be, but the book itself blew them out of the water. By turns, the story of Flint as it is presented here - complete, in chronological order, and with background information - stirs up such a mix of complex emotion that it is impossible to describe here. It was a difficult read for its description of human suffering and the rage-inducing decisions that made that suffering both possible and likely. As articulated in the quote above, which references both Flint and Love Canal, individuals and organizations do not need to act out of malice for their decisions and actions to destroy the lives of others.
Both for the many issues that The Poisoned City deals with - aging infrastructure, water safety, racism, housing, governmental transparency and environmental justice, among others - and for its relevance to the biggest public health crisis in recent memory, this is a book that everyone should read.
January 1, 2019
Summary: Not the most engagingly written book, but it's still a story worth reading
This story of Flint's water crisis, from a journalist who covered the story as it unfolded, is a fascinating read. It includes a number of topics that are relevant for many cities. The continued use of led pipes throughout the country is the obvious takeaway, but we also see the lasting effects of legal and then social segregation that lased long after the civil war. The way poverty influenced who was hardest hit by this crisis, as well as the options available to people for dealing with it, was somehow both unsurprising and shocking. And the whole thing was a terrifying reminder that if government officials aren't forced by required transparency to act in our best interests, any of us could find ourselves in the next Flint.
Despite the interesting and important topic, this wasn't my favorite narrative nonfiction that I've read lately. On several occasions, the author took full sections of a chapter to talk about topics that were only tangentially related to the story - the history of alchemy as it relates to led, for example. These digressions did nothing to help keep track of our large cast of characters. This was a book desperately in need of a cast list. I also found the writing dry at times. This may, in part, be my own fault for choosing to read the footnotes. These included some delightful stories in The Dinosaur Artist and I was hoping for something similar here. It was not to be.
To flip that around, despite the fact that the writing could have been more engaging, this is a book I"d recommend. It's pretty short and extremely relevant. If you're someone who primarily likes to read fiction or who only loves exciting narrative nonfiction though, this might not be the book for you.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
This story of Flint's water crisis, from a journalist who covered the story as it unfolded, is a fascinating read. It includes a number of topics that are relevant for many cities. The continued use of led pipes throughout the country is the obvious takeaway, but we also see the lasting effects of legal and then social segregation that lased long after the civil war. The way poverty influenced who was hardest hit by this crisis, as well as the options available to people for dealing with it, was somehow both unsurprising and shocking. And the whole thing was a terrifying reminder that if government officials aren't forced by required transparency to act in our best interests, any of us could find ourselves in the next Flint.
Despite the interesting and important topic, this wasn't my favorite narrative nonfiction that I've read lately. On several occasions, the author took full sections of a chapter to talk about topics that were only tangentially related to the story - the history of alchemy as it relates to led, for example. These digressions did nothing to help keep track of our large cast of characters. This was a book desperately in need of a cast list. I also found the writing dry at times. This may, in part, be my own fault for choosing to read the footnotes. These included some delightful stories in The Dinosaur Artist and I was hoping for something similar here. It was not to be.
To flip that around, despite the fact that the writing could have been more engaging, this is a book I"d recommend. It's pretty short and extremely relevant. If you're someone who primarily likes to read fiction or who only loves exciting narrative nonfiction though, this might not be the book for you.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
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