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Poisoned Water: How the Citizens of Flint, Michigan, Fought for Their Lives and Warned the Nation
Based on original reporting by a Pulitzer Prize finalist and an industry veteran, the first book for young adults about the Flint water crisis
In 2014, Flint, Michigan, was a cash-strapped city that had been built up, then abandoned by General Motors. As part of a plan to save money, government officials decided that Flint would temporarily switch its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River. Within months, many residents broke out in rashes. Then it got worse: children stopped growing. Some people were hospitalized with mysterious illnesses; others died. Citizens of Flint protested that the water was dangerous. Despite what seemed so apparent from the murky, foul-smelling liquid pouring from the city’s faucets, officials refused to listen. They treated the people of Flint as the problem, not the water, which was actually poisoning thousands.
Through interviews with residents and intensive research into legal records and news accounts, journalist Candy J. Cooper, assisted by writer-editor Marc Aronson, reveals the true story of Flint. Poisoned Water shows not just how the crisis unfolded in 2014, but also the history of racism and segregation that led up to it, the beliefs and attitudes that fueled it, and how the people of Flint fought—and are still fighting—for clean water and healthy lives.
In 2014, Flint, Michigan, was a cash-strapped city that had been built up, then abandoned by General Motors. As part of a plan to save money, government officials decided that Flint would temporarily switch its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River. Within months, many residents broke out in rashes. Then it got worse: children stopped growing. Some people were hospitalized with mysterious illnesses; others died. Citizens of Flint protested that the water was dangerous. Despite what seemed so apparent from the murky, foul-smelling liquid pouring from the city’s faucets, officials refused to listen. They treated the people of Flint as the problem, not the water, which was actually poisoning thousands.
Through interviews with residents and intensive research into legal records and news accounts, journalist Candy J. Cooper, assisted by writer-editor Marc Aronson, reveals the true story of Flint. Poisoned Water shows not just how the crisis unfolded in 2014, but also the history of racism and segregation that led up to it, the beliefs and attitudes that fueled it, and how the people of Flint fought—and are still fighting—for clean water and healthy lives.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 19, 2020
42 people are currently reading
857 people want to read
About the author
Candy J. Cooper
6 books23 followersCandy J. Cooper is a Pulitzer Prize finalist and winner of the Selden Ring Award for Investigative Reporting. She has been a staff writer for four newspapers, including the The Detroit Free Press and the San Francisco Examiner. Her work has appeared in the The New York Times, The Columbia Journalism Review and The Chronicle of Higher Education, among other publications. She has written several nonfiction series books for the classroom for Scholastic, and her essay on stepfamilies is part of an anthology, My Father Married Your Mother: Dispatches from the Blended Family, published by W. W. Norton.
(source: Amazon)
(source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
June 7, 2021
Compellingly horrifying. I could not stop reading parts aloud to people nearby.
November 28, 2022
An account of the Flint Water Crisis that’s very readable for all audiences - Everyone should be educated about this multi-scale humanitarian failure. This is history in the making, that unfortunately people are still living.
June 25, 2024
I found this to be a gripping account of the water crisis that happened in Flint, Michigan. Being from Louisiana, I knew little about the crisis and its implications on residents prior to going into the book. The authors provide insight from a plethora of types of people from across Flint, the state, and from some even outside the state entirely. Photos of the people affected are placed throughout the book to place faces to the names of people hurt by this government neglect. As I read, I was shocked at the consequences of using Flint River water and now understand why some people are concerned with drinking tap water in general. Average citizens do not know how well our water infrastructure is maintained, which results in us trusting the government to do its job and upkeep the system. When that does not happen, the effects are dire, as shown by the city of Flint. This is a good read that not only shows the disaster and its effects but also the community that formed of the area people.
May 1, 2020
very book I read about the Flint Water Crisis makes me sad and leaves me angry. The stories of the suffering of the citizens of Flint are horrifying. Governing officials assigned by the state made decisions based on economic concerns and not the welfare of citizens.
Candy J. Cooper saw that the excellent books already written about the crisis, including The Poisoned City by Anna Clark and What the Eyes Don't See by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, left some untold stories. In Poisoned Water, Cooper considers the crisis through the lens of the citizens of Flint, a predominately African American population, and as an example of racist policies and attitudes.
The story of Flint is centered on General Motors whose plants brought a migration of workers to the city. Workers fought for a union and fair wages. When GM closed plants, those who could left the city. With the tax base decimated, Governor Snyder sent in an Emergency Manager [EM] to balance Flint's budget, disenfranchising elected officials.
Detroit water was expensive and the EM opted to use Flint River water while the city developed a new source. As a cost-savings they omitted the use of anti-corrosives. The Flint River water destroyed the naturally occuring build-up in the lead pipes, releasing lead into the water.
The health impact of the water change was soon manifested in discolored, foul smelling water that caused rashes, hair loss, and illness. People complained and were lied to by authorities who insisted the water tests showed no problems.
It took years before the citizens complaints were investigated and finally addressed.
"Who, then were the heroes?" Cooper notes that the media promoted several well-deserved heroes while forgetting the grassroots activists who struggled for years to be heard. In the end, the crisis, like natural disasters and pandemics, reveal the ugly truth of poverty and racism in America.
The book is promoted for Middle Grade, and perhaps some young people that age will be able to handle it. I would recommend it for older teens and adults seeking a shorter history.
I was given a free ebook by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
Candy J. Cooper saw that the excellent books already written about the crisis, including The Poisoned City by Anna Clark and What the Eyes Don't See by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, left some untold stories. In Poisoned Water, Cooper considers the crisis through the lens of the citizens of Flint, a predominately African American population, and as an example of racist policies and attitudes.
The story of Flint is centered on General Motors whose plants brought a migration of workers to the city. Workers fought for a union and fair wages. When GM closed plants, those who could left the city. With the tax base decimated, Governor Snyder sent in an Emergency Manager [EM] to balance Flint's budget, disenfranchising elected officials.
Detroit water was expensive and the EM opted to use Flint River water while the city developed a new source. As a cost-savings they omitted the use of anti-corrosives. The Flint River water destroyed the naturally occuring build-up in the lead pipes, releasing lead into the water.
The health impact of the water change was soon manifested in discolored, foul smelling water that caused rashes, hair loss, and illness. People complained and were lied to by authorities who insisted the water tests showed no problems.
It took years before the citizens complaints were investigated and finally addressed.
"Who, then were the heroes?" Cooper notes that the media promoted several well-deserved heroes while forgetting the grassroots activists who struggled for years to be heard. In the end, the crisis, like natural disasters and pandemics, reveal the ugly truth of poverty and racism in America.
The book is promoted for Middle Grade, and perhaps some young people that age will be able to handle it. I would recommend it for older teens and adults seeking a shorter history.
I was given a free ebook by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
April 6, 2025
Wow! Very enlightening and very infuriating. “ We must insist and persist.”
July 21, 2020
This was a fantastic read. It breaks down what happened in Flint and gives far reaching implications for why it happened, and what will come now that the citizens will have to deal with the effects of the tainted water. As someone who only knew what I saw on TV about Flint (they have dirty water), I was unprepared for the actual story. The whistleblowers who were silenced. The data that was skewed. The back story to why the city made the switch to the Flint river in the first place. The activists who were ignored. The citizens who protested. The babies who suffered. The people who died.
Highly recommend. This is a first purchase type of book for all collections serving patrons in grades 7-12.
Highly recommend. This is a first purchase type of book for all collections serving patrons in grades 7-12.
October 3, 2021
Such a moving account of this tragedy. At one point, one of the legislatures who was who was guilty of ignoring and covering up Flint's water crisis tells a judge that he is sorry and he will have to live with this guilt the rest of his life. The judge responds, "No, it is these lead poisoned children who will have to live with it the rest of their lives. These children who will now never grow up to be who God intended them to be. And that is on your shoulders." (Not an exact quote because I no longer have the book.) I cried at this point in the book. How could this have happened in America? Clean water is a basic right in this wealthy country. It sickens me. And we all know that this wouldn't have happened if it had been a primarily white community. I definitely recommend this book. We all heard about Flint a few years back, but like most news stories, it was in the headlines for a few weeks and then forgotten. But this book reminds us that the tragedy is still ongoing in the people who suffered through it.
August 30, 2021
A heartbreaking explanation of the Flint water crisis, starting with the backstory of racial segregation during the town's industrial growth. I think teens will be as engaged with the text as I was, shaking their heads, overflowing with outrage, incredulous. I'll never forget what I learned here. This is a perfect selection for a unit on social issues.
My only complaint is that it doesn't address 2 important, related issues: corporate greed and indifference (such as Nestle bottling city water 2 hours away and selling it to the desperate people in Flint, and doing so for $200 a year when poor citizens in Flint were paying water bills in excess of $200 a month for poisoned water that they could only use for toilet flushing) and it doesn't address the plastics crisis. I know there could be only so much in one book written for young adults, and I hope that students will wonder about these things and pursue an inquiry to learn about it, but the fact that neither issue is even suggested as problematic is a missed opportunity.
What action can students take after they learn about community empowerment in the face of injustice and oppression? Maybe if the authors mentioned that the glut of plastic in the wake of this crisis needs addressing and that you can stop buying bottled water and other beverages from the Nestle corporation, that could be a start. Instead, I hope students take the lessons learned from this catastrophe to heart and apply it to any injustice they care about or that directly impacts them; may they stand up for themselves, join together with their communities to demand change, persist when shut down by officials, and provide aid to others in need.
My only complaint is that it doesn't address 2 important, related issues: corporate greed and indifference (such as Nestle bottling city water 2 hours away and selling it to the desperate people in Flint, and doing so for $200 a year when poor citizens in Flint were paying water bills in excess of $200 a month for poisoned water that they could only use for toilet flushing) and it doesn't address the plastics crisis. I know there could be only so much in one book written for young adults, and I hope that students will wonder about these things and pursue an inquiry to learn about it, but the fact that neither issue is even suggested as problematic is a missed opportunity.
What action can students take after they learn about community empowerment in the face of injustice and oppression? Maybe if the authors mentioned that the glut of plastic in the wake of this crisis needs addressing and that you can stop buying bottled water and other beverages from the Nestle corporation, that could be a start. Instead, I hope students take the lessons learned from this catastrophe to heart and apply it to any injustice they care about or that directly impacts them; may they stand up for themselves, join together with their communities to demand change, persist when shut down by officials, and provide aid to others in need.
September 26, 2020
This book aimed at the young adult audience with Cooper and Aronson (such a capable nonfiction writer to have around) writing the story of the Flint Water Crisis in a way that is heartbreaking, frustrating, anger-inducing, and powerful. Powerful in that so many spoke up-- documenting, arguing, sharing, writing, speaking, advocating. And it does change things however slow and reveals the injustices done specifically to Flint.
Cooper takes it back to the burgeoning days of Flint and then to "how we got here" in a riveting fashion. I was disgusted and moved. There is so much to unpack about justice, racial disparities, and basic human rights. And the ridiculousness of government.
I am excited to have this kind of book to pass around to students. With the perfectly placed images and chapters that are easily read and a book that is paced well, it's a sure-fire kind of book to get people charged up in the hopes of never repeating this kind of tragedy.
Cooper takes it back to the burgeoning days of Flint and then to "how we got here" in a riveting fashion. I was disgusted and moved. There is so much to unpack about justice, racial disparities, and basic human rights. And the ridiculousness of government.
I am excited to have this kind of book to pass around to students. With the perfectly placed images and chapters that are easily read and a book that is paced well, it's a sure-fire kind of book to get people charged up in the hopes of never repeating this kind of tragedy.
July 3, 2023
Trigger warnings: systemic racism, classism, health conditions
This was extremely compelling and fast paced. I knew aspects of the story of Flint and its water issues, but I didn't know the specific details, particularly in regards to health conditions, lead levels and the complete and utter lack of communication between the community and the powers that be. It was a thorough overview of the problem and its consequences, and I flew through it.
This was extremely compelling and fast paced. I knew aspects of the story of Flint and its water issues, but I didn't know the specific details, particularly in regards to health conditions, lead levels and the complete and utter lack of communication between the community and the powers that be. It was a thorough overview of the problem and its consequences, and I flew through it.
Read
October 27, 2024DNF. Anecdotal accounts with lots of adjectives.
July 11, 2021
3.5 stars
April 19, 2020
5 out of 5 🌟 Fast-paced non-fiction political thriller
The modern history of Flint, Michigan isn't an easy one. Once modern metropolis with high-profit automotive business and progressive citizens, the city was a prospering and vital part of the Midwest. The global financial crisis in 2008 struck Fling really hard - people lost their jobs and crime rates rose. Later the town received national attention due to the water pollution disaster to eventually become almost a synonym of a fallen city.
'Poisoned Water' is an account of Flint City people and they struggle to have normal lives during the water crisis. How they fiercely fought to make their concerns be heard even after Flint officials constantly dismissed them. The narrative starts just after the financial crisis and explains city financial troubles and the origins of that water catastrophe.
First things first: This is not a middle-grade book! Not even a Young Adult one, it's non-fiction about greedy officials and people who suffered because of them. The narration itself was fast-paced and highly addictive - it's a quick read, although not an easy one. 'Poison Water' contains a great number of records about city residents who have been hurt or traumatized by their experiences.
That book isn't just a historical piece, it shows awful truth about people with power and why we shouldn't trust them. The story of Flint shows people who were lied to because of greed and arrogance and it's something we should be all afraid of.
The modern history of Flint, Michigan isn't an easy one. Once modern metropolis with high-profit automotive business and progressive citizens, the city was a prospering and vital part of the Midwest. The global financial crisis in 2008 struck Fling really hard - people lost their jobs and crime rates rose. Later the town received national attention due to the water pollution disaster to eventually become almost a synonym of a fallen city.
'Poisoned Water' is an account of Flint City people and they struggle to have normal lives during the water crisis. How they fiercely fought to make their concerns be heard even after Flint officials constantly dismissed them. The narrative starts just after the financial crisis and explains city financial troubles and the origins of that water catastrophe.
First things first: This is not a middle-grade book! Not even a Young Adult one, it's non-fiction about greedy officials and people who suffered because of them. The narration itself was fast-paced and highly addictive - it's a quick read, although not an easy one. 'Poison Water' contains a great number of records about city residents who have been hurt or traumatized by their experiences.
That book isn't just a historical piece, it shows awful truth about people with power and why we shouldn't trust them. The story of Flint shows people who were lied to because of greed and arrogance and it's something we should be all afraid of.
April 12, 2021
I thought this book was an excellent overview of what happened in Flint, MI. Readable and engaging. I knew about Flint, but not the details. As a local government employee, my biggest surprise was the betrayal of the public trust by the City of Flint and the State of Michigan. I just can't believe how blatantly they disregarded clear evidence of contamination and poisoning. It's a sobering thought and a case study that should be taught in all public administration schools.
The one problem I had was that the author neglected to sufficiently talk about WHY the Flint River arrived at the highly polluted state it did. It was a long, historical process of abuse and dumping that contaminated fish in the river and probably all wildlife that relied on it to live. We miss the intersection between abuse of our planet and the subsequent impacts it can have on communities. I think this was a part of the story that should have been told and tied into the narrative. We only got the consequences, not the cause.
The one problem I had was that the author neglected to sufficiently talk about WHY the Flint River arrived at the highly polluted state it did. It was a long, historical process of abuse and dumping that contaminated fish in the river and probably all wildlife that relied on it to live. We miss the intersection between abuse of our planet and the subsequent impacts it can have on communities. I think this was a part of the story that should have been told and tied into the narrative. We only got the consequences, not the cause.
October 21, 2020
While reading this I would periodically take sips of water from my water bottle. As the story went on it became harder and harder for me to drink the water. I so carelessly take for granted clean water in a way that if this water crisis were to happen to me I am not sure I would have the resiliency that the citizens of Flint had.
I lived on the periphery of this event in Lansing during the beginning of the crisis. I had no inkling of what was going on but knew it was serious. In my junior year of college, I had the chance to go to Flint with an NAACP group at MSU. We spent an afternoon in Flint talking with residents and delivering bottled water to homes. It was both devastating and inspiring. The spirit of these people was relentless.
I truly hope to be able to teach this book to my 7th-grade students this year as I feel it will provide them with more inspiration to stand up for what they believe in and to recognize the injustices in the world around them.
I lived on the periphery of this event in Lansing during the beginning of the crisis. I had no inkling of what was going on but knew it was serious. In my junior year of college, I had the chance to go to Flint with an NAACP group at MSU. We spent an afternoon in Flint talking with residents and delivering bottled water to homes. It was both devastating and inspiring. The spirit of these people was relentless.
I truly hope to be able to teach this book to my 7th-grade students this year as I feel it will provide them with more inspiration to stand up for what they believe in and to recognize the injustices in the world around them.
November 23, 2021
Great reading that chronicles the events of the Flint water crisis. I had no idea how fast the impacts were felt after the switch to Flint water. Though I have read articles about the role Marc Edwards and Virginia Tech played in helping to sound the alarm, Cooper really elaborates on his/their importance. Important read if you are not familiar with the entire story of what happened in Flint.
July 17, 2020
What a powerful story. It’s so crazy that in a first world country something as crazy as Legionnaires disease and major cases of lead poisoning can still exist. Granted we are in the middle of a pandemic so....
June 20, 2021
I liked this book on the Flint water crisis a lot better than Dr. Mona’s book. I liked that it included multiple perspectives of the crisis including the victims, which I felt Dr. Mona’s book was lacking. The story was easier to follow and explained unfamiliar terms in a comprehensive way.
March 10, 2021
This nonfiction work aimed at a young adult audience is a clear and helpful investigation of the Flint, Michigan, water crisis and its aftermath that will appeal to (and appall) readers of any age.
October 8, 2020
Poisoned water details the true story of Flint, Michigan and their problems with having access to clean, safe water. In 2014, the city decided to temporarily switch the city's water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint river. However, as time passed, people quickly realized the water was not clean or safe. Adults and children got rashes after bathing and lost hair. Some people died, got strange illnesses, and children stopped growing. Despite these horrendous problems, the city ignored the evidence and treated the people as if they were making things up or exaggerating the problem. As the water corroded the city's ancient lead pipes and the weather warmed up, lead poisoning and other diseases flourished.
There was an outcry for change, but government officials would do nothing. They claimed the water was safe even when faced with irrefutable evidence. It was painful to read accounts of young children and families who had to pay astronomical water bills for water that wasn’t safe for anyone to drink. As I read, it was clear that the city government was willing to do nothing for their city. I was constantly wondering how the government could deny the claims made by the people when it was having such terrible consequences on the people of their city. It raised an uncomfortable question in my mind: Do our elected officials really have people’s best interests at heart? That question leads into the messy world of politics, and I feel that there is not a good answer to this question. But I do feel like that when there is a problem, we have an obligation to fix it and advocate for change. This was a theme I saw throughout the book of fighting for change, even when being accused of making up evidence and discredited, such as. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha who raised awareness about lead poisoning and lead levels in the young children of Flint.
It took years of drinking this poisoned water for anything to change, and the people of Flint’s story is not over. They are still working toward a better city, and I found hope at the end of the novel despite the devastating effects the water had on the city.
There was an outcry for change, but government officials would do nothing. They claimed the water was safe even when faced with irrefutable evidence. It was painful to read accounts of young children and families who had to pay astronomical water bills for water that wasn’t safe for anyone to drink. As I read, it was clear that the city government was willing to do nothing for their city. I was constantly wondering how the government could deny the claims made by the people when it was having such terrible consequences on the people of their city. It raised an uncomfortable question in my mind: Do our elected officials really have people’s best interests at heart? That question leads into the messy world of politics, and I feel that there is not a good answer to this question. But I do feel like that when there is a problem, we have an obligation to fix it and advocate for change. This was a theme I saw throughout the book of fighting for change, even when being accused of making up evidence and discredited, such as. Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha who raised awareness about lead poisoning and lead levels in the young children of Flint.
It took years of drinking this poisoned water for anything to change, and the people of Flint’s story is not over. They are still working toward a better city, and I found hope at the end of the novel despite the devastating effects the water had on the city.
May 9, 2020
I truly didn't understand the Flint water crisis until This Old House explained the crux of it to me very simply a couple of years ago (gist: when the water was switched from the lake to the river, the protective additive wasn't added and the river water removed all of the protective coating from the interior of the lead pipes. This is why simply switching the water source back doesn't solve anything. The water might be cleaner at origination, but all the lead pipes now have to be replaced, period.) Since then I've been pretty fascinated, from a comforting remove. But this sort of boneheaded short-term cost-cutting happens everywhere and could happen anywhere. It happened this year, the exact same problem, in Newark, New Jersey, right here in my county.
This book explains to teens what's happened. Teens are very interested in the environment, and this crisis in particular has hit children especially harshly. Elevated lead levels in children shave off IQ points forever. While the authors are not local, they did a ton of on-the-ground research, including talking to local children, from kids who spend their entire weekends picking up cases of water and lugging them home, to children with permanent health problems, to young adults who had to move away to get away from the bad water. The complicitness of all the governmental officials who had to look the other way is infuriating, and the few whistle blowers who spoke up despite great pressure not to, are real heroes. This problem isn't over. It won't be for decades. And it can happen again, when people turn a blind eye to the outcome of looking the other way when the disadvantaged are mowed over.
This book explains to teens what's happened. Teens are very interested in the environment, and this crisis in particular has hit children especially harshly. Elevated lead levels in children shave off IQ points forever. While the authors are not local, they did a ton of on-the-ground research, including talking to local children, from kids who spend their entire weekends picking up cases of water and lugging them home, to children with permanent health problems, to young adults who had to move away to get away from the bad water. The complicitness of all the governmental officials who had to look the other way is infuriating, and the few whistle blowers who spoke up despite great pressure not to, are real heroes. This problem isn't over. It won't be for decades. And it can happen again, when people turn a blind eye to the outcome of looking the other way when the disadvantaged are mowed over.
November 2, 2023
Poisoned Water by Candy J. Cooper with Marc Aronson. How the citizens of Flint, Michigan, fought for their lives and warned the nation. I found this book in my high school library. I needed a non-fiction book for class.
Flint water violates the federal Safe Water Drinking Act. To kill off E. coli bacteria, the water plant dumped high chlorine levels into the water. When chlorine mixes with organic material like dead leaves, it produces a chemical byproduct (TTHM). TTHM can lead to liver, kidney, and neurological disorders. The city had known about the high levels of TTHM but said nothing.
The suffering of the victims of the poisoned water is unimaginable and should have been acted on faster. “Our government… the people who are supposed to help you are now trying to kill you, in actuality.” This quote shows the realization of the severity of the situation. Thankfully, In June 2016, more than two years after the switch to Flint River water, the EPA announced that water in Flint was once again safe to drink. The National Science Foundation approved a filter to remove the remaining traces of lead.
This book was boring. It is non-fiction, and it covers what the title says. It was challenging to read because of all of the information. However, if you enjoy non-fiction books and like learning about modern crises, then this book is perfect for you. Other books similar to this one would be “Where the Water Goes: Life and Death Along the Colorado River” by David Owen.
Flint water violates the federal Safe Water Drinking Act. To kill off E. coli bacteria, the water plant dumped high chlorine levels into the water. When chlorine mixes with organic material like dead leaves, it produces a chemical byproduct (TTHM). TTHM can lead to liver, kidney, and neurological disorders. The city had known about the high levels of TTHM but said nothing.
The suffering of the victims of the poisoned water is unimaginable and should have been acted on faster. “Our government… the people who are supposed to help you are now trying to kill you, in actuality.” This quote shows the realization of the severity of the situation. Thankfully, In June 2016, more than two years after the switch to Flint River water, the EPA announced that water in Flint was once again safe to drink. The National Science Foundation approved a filter to remove the remaining traces of lead.
This book was boring. It is non-fiction, and it covers what the title says. It was challenging to read because of all of the information. However, if you enjoy non-fiction books and like learning about modern crises, then this book is perfect for you. Other books similar to this one would be “Where the Water Goes: Life and Death Along the Colorado River” by David Owen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2020
This will be the book that I will be talking about all year and handing to everyone I know. We live in the state where this tragedy unfolded so when we caught up with Marc at our state’s school library conference in 2015, my friend Lynn Rutan suggested this topic as an important subject for a future teen nonfiction book. I agreed and am so glad that Aronson and Candy Cooper made it happen. My husband works in wastewater treatment and as the news unfolded he updated me with his rants about what was going on and how wrong it was. I listened and I had a cursory idea of what was going on, but reading Cooper and Aronson’s book was a whole new experience. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough even though I knew the trajectory of the crisis. The book is packed with quotable lines from those who were poisoned, those who poisoned them, and those who didn’t think it was important. ” Perhaps this quote from a Michigan Department of Health and Human Services nurse to a parent whose young child had lead poisoning from the Flint River water sums up the official response to the water crisis:
“It’s just a few IQ points. It’s not the end of the world.”
Full review available at this Bookends Blog post.
“It’s just a few IQ points. It’s not the end of the world.”
Full review available at this Bookends Blog post.
April 6, 2023
2.5 stars. They jumped throughout the years each chapter, stretched out the problem way too much (literally went over every single person who was negatively impacted and shared their entire story), and involved a lot of politics. I was super confused and bored throughout the entire book.
June 8, 2024
In January 2016, you couldn’t turn on the news without hearing about the people of Flint, Michigan, and their fight for clean drinking water. The nearly 200-year-old city was made famous for being the birthplace of General Motors, but, in more recent years, had faced a budget crisis that left city officials doing what all Americans do – looking for ways to save money and stay in the black. Unfortunately, that included self-sourcing water for the city, which had always purchased water from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department. That change from Detroit’s services pulled from Lake Huron to their own self-sufficient services pulled from the Flint River was a deadly and costly choice that saw approximately 10,000 children exposed to toxic levels of lead, a spike in Legionnaires’ disease, and a $641 Million settlement with the people of Flint.
Poisoned Water is journalist Candy J Cooper’s investigation into the causes of the water and health crisis, and documentation of the struggles the families of Flint, Michigan, still face. If you thought you knew what caused the Flint water crisis based on cursory stories on your local news channel, think again. Cooper’s investigative journalism uncovers the corruption and egotistical decisions to cut the federal authorities out of the investigation to allow anonymity to the local governments. Cooper reveals the underlying bias against the socioeconomic area affected most by the crisis and links it back to why officials denied any trouble with the water system there. This is a book about the greed and inability of government officials to own their mistakes and take correct action, but also about the strength and determination of the innocent families who will remain affected by those mistakes for the rest of their lives.
I give Poisoned Water 4 out of 5 stars. I was in awe at the callousness of the government officials as Cooper portrayed and how determined the families were…until they weren’t. I appreciate the investigative journalistic style used to document the story, but it does come off feeling a bit more like a textbook than a documentary pulling you in at times. Cooper is great at helping the reader put themselves in the shoes of the people she’s writing about on both sides of the crisis. This is a great preservation of first-hand accounts of the crisis and will be a valuable resource for years to come.
I would recommend this book to all government officials and water system managers. The sometimes small, sometimes large mistakes made throughout the crisis serve as a testament to how important those jobs are for the public health. I would also recommend this book to readers who enjoyed the “Erin Brockovich” movie – her name comes up at least once in the pages of this book, but the work to uncover the masking of the crisis by government officials felt reminiscent of those events. I would also recommend this book for readers looking to enter the public health or medical fields – it is a tribute to the work to uncover the reason for the illnesses, treat them, and seek a resolution to the cause.
I chose Poisoned Water for the US States reading challenge prompt “Michigan”. I live within a mile of Georgia’s Flint River and this crisis caught my attention when it first hit news because of the similar names. While not the same river, our area has its own water pollution crises periodically with chemicals and waste released into the Chattahoochee River. While not to the extent of the Flint, Michigan, crisis, it does put things in perspective after reading this book. I also wanted to read this book because of how close Flint is to Detroit and the link to the manufacturing industry there – as described in this book, it can be easy to discount trouble in neighboring cities when there is such a “benefit” to the public nearby. If you are interested in the socioeconomic divide and discrimination, you will enjoy this book!
Poisoned Water is journalist Candy J Cooper’s investigation into the causes of the water and health crisis, and documentation of the struggles the families of Flint, Michigan, still face. If you thought you knew what caused the Flint water crisis based on cursory stories on your local news channel, think again. Cooper’s investigative journalism uncovers the corruption and egotistical decisions to cut the federal authorities out of the investigation to allow anonymity to the local governments. Cooper reveals the underlying bias against the socioeconomic area affected most by the crisis and links it back to why officials denied any trouble with the water system there. This is a book about the greed and inability of government officials to own their mistakes and take correct action, but also about the strength and determination of the innocent families who will remain affected by those mistakes for the rest of their lives.
I give Poisoned Water 4 out of 5 stars. I was in awe at the callousness of the government officials as Cooper portrayed and how determined the families were…until they weren’t. I appreciate the investigative journalistic style used to document the story, but it does come off feeling a bit more like a textbook than a documentary pulling you in at times. Cooper is great at helping the reader put themselves in the shoes of the people she’s writing about on both sides of the crisis. This is a great preservation of first-hand accounts of the crisis and will be a valuable resource for years to come.
I would recommend this book to all government officials and water system managers. The sometimes small, sometimes large mistakes made throughout the crisis serve as a testament to how important those jobs are for the public health. I would also recommend this book to readers who enjoyed the “Erin Brockovich” movie – her name comes up at least once in the pages of this book, but the work to uncover the masking of the crisis by government officials felt reminiscent of those events. I would also recommend this book for readers looking to enter the public health or medical fields – it is a tribute to the work to uncover the reason for the illnesses, treat them, and seek a resolution to the cause.
I chose Poisoned Water for the US States reading challenge prompt “Michigan”. I live within a mile of Georgia’s Flint River and this crisis caught my attention when it first hit news because of the similar names. While not the same river, our area has its own water pollution crises periodically with chemicals and waste released into the Chattahoochee River. While not to the extent of the Flint, Michigan, crisis, it does put things in perspective after reading this book. I also wanted to read this book because of how close Flint is to Detroit and the link to the manufacturing industry there – as described in this book, it can be easy to discount trouble in neighboring cities when there is such a “benefit” to the public nearby. If you are interested in the socioeconomic divide and discrimination, you will enjoy this book!
June 21, 2021
This was horrific. I can’t even imagine the suffering that the people of Flint had to endure. And it all boiled down to greed. Greed ran that city. For decades, Flint had been getting its water from the city of Detroit, sourced from Lake Huron and the Detroit River, giving Detroit the tax dollars. In an effort to save money while a new pipeline was created, and to keep tax dollars in Flint, the city decided to draw its water from the Flint River. On April 25, 2014, a switch was flipped and everything changed for the people of Flint. What happened was nothing short of a horror story. They paid the highest rate for clean water IN THE UNITED STATES, yet they couldn’t use that water for literally ANYTHING!! It was POISON!! For 18 LONG months, Governor Rick Snyder turned a blind eye to the situation, citing the switch as saving the city millions. Residents of all ages suffered irreversible damage to their health, bodies and minds. It seemed like nothing was done until a pediatric doctor spoke up. Why?!? Was a doctor’s word better than 100,000 residents with EVIDENCE?!?!? After said doctor’s findings came to light, the Governor issued a formal apology and reconnected Flint back to Detroit’s water supply on October 16, 2015. It was later discovered that the Governor failed to add anti-corrosion treatment to the water, which would have cost $100/day, and prevented 90% of Flint’s water problems. So much damage had been done to the pipes that researchers continued to find problems with the water. It wasn’t until January of 2017 that the water was deemed safe for use. To this day, the residents of Flint refuse to trust their city officials’ reports that the water is safe, and continue to drink bottled water. CAN YOU BLAME THEM?!?! My heart breaks for these people, because there isn’t enough monetary compensation to reverse the damage that was done. Pay these people, and let karma deal with Governor Snyder
April 6, 2022
During the past few weeks I have been reading a book about Flint Michigan's water, and the effects it had on its people. The book is Poisoned water by Candy J. Cooper. I started reading this book because we had to pick out a book for our non-fiction unit. In my opinion, I like to read books about things that have happened around me. When I saw this book it interested me and caught my attention.
My book started out by just pointing out the debt, and racial injustices in Flint, Michigan. This whole problem started off by these old pipes that were made out of lead. These pipes have been there for so long and should have been replaced, but we decided not to. This water started to mess with people, making them very sick. This got so bad people were actually getting rashes, and it was affecting their children too! Nearly 10,000 kids were affected by this. Somel of the people actually got tired of buying so much bottled water to the point where they actually started boiling the water, which they were told not to do because it does not fully work in this place. The people ended up getting sick again.
Personally, this is a great book. The book ended with the pipes getting fixed. In return, this made people happy and more healthy. But, the people who were infected while pregnant, their kids are still going to be affected by this situation. This whole situation could have been avoided by switching these lead pipes built a long time ago.
This book is meant for people who like to read about true events, but also those who like looking at pictures too. Very many pictures of how sick people got, which just makes everything so much easier to imagine, and try to be in the shoes of the ones affected. Many people would enjoy this book, very informational, and just overall it guides you over everything in a fun way.
My book started out by just pointing out the debt, and racial injustices in Flint, Michigan. This whole problem started off by these old pipes that were made out of lead. These pipes have been there for so long and should have been replaced, but we decided not to. This water started to mess with people, making them very sick. This got so bad people were actually getting rashes, and it was affecting their children too! Nearly 10,000 kids were affected by this. Somel of the people actually got tired of buying so much bottled water to the point where they actually started boiling the water, which they were told not to do because it does not fully work in this place. The people ended up getting sick again.
Personally, this is a great book. The book ended with the pipes getting fixed. In return, this made people happy and more healthy. But, the people who were infected while pregnant, their kids are still going to be affected by this situation. This whole situation could have been avoided by switching these lead pipes built a long time ago.
This book is meant for people who like to read about true events, but also those who like looking at pictures too. Very many pictures of how sick people got, which just makes everything so much easier to imagine, and try to be in the shoes of the ones affected. Many people would enjoy this book, very informational, and just overall it guides you over everything in a fun way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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May 21, 2021So the book I'm reviewing is Poisoned Water by Candy J. Cooper. The topic of this book is the flint water crisis. The way I found this is I was interested in a local crisis so I went to my school's library and came across this book and I was interested in more research involving the Flint water crisis.
So basically what this book is about is the flint water crisis which was what Flint Michigan started having readings of lead in their water because the pipes that transfers the water started breaking. All the water towers held that water in it and the water treatment plants were not getting the proper funding to fix this problem and people used this water and got all kinds of diseases and irritated skin from showering in this water. It was fatal when they started drinking it so people started stepping up and donating water to the people of flint. They fixed the problem and sent all the injured people to the hospitals and now they are investigating who's responsible.
So this book was very informational and had a lot of details of people that actually went through this incident. When they actually interviewed the people that went through this incident is my favorite part because it shows a point of view a author of the book can tell about because they're talking about their actual life.
Overall I really enjoyed this book that's why i gave it 5 stars its very informational and interesting especially for someone who was close to this incident I definitely recommend this book if you're interested in local incidents and just the history of Michigan overall.
So basically what this book is about is the flint water crisis which was what Flint Michigan started having readings of lead in their water because the pipes that transfers the water started breaking. All the water towers held that water in it and the water treatment plants were not getting the proper funding to fix this problem and people used this water and got all kinds of diseases and irritated skin from showering in this water. It was fatal when they started drinking it so people started stepping up and donating water to the people of flint. They fixed the problem and sent all the injured people to the hospitals and now they are investigating who's responsible.
So this book was very informational and had a lot of details of people that actually went through this incident. When they actually interviewed the people that went through this incident is my favorite part because it shows a point of view a author of the book can tell about because they're talking about their actual life.
Overall I really enjoyed this book that's why i gave it 5 stars its very informational and interesting especially for someone who was close to this incident I definitely recommend this book if you're interested in local incidents and just the history of Michigan overall.
May 22, 2020
I confess. I’ve never completed a Doris Kearns Goodwin book, and I flee from the university presses at book conferences. “Poisoned Water” by Candy Cooper with Mark Aronson wrote this chronicle of the 2014 -2015 toxic water crisis in Flint, Michigan for people like me. The book is relatively short at 230 pages; the narrative is fast paced; and, the details and analysis of the story are enough to educate me without bogging me down in sleep inducing pixilation. Bloomsbury published Poison Water as children’s nonfiction in the 20th century. I liken the designation with “Yes, She Can” and “How to be an Anti-Racist,” books written for a teen audience but enjoyable for and informative to an adult audience.
The book is everything. The authors start the history of Flint at the moment when the State of Michigan switches the water supply from Lake Huron to the historically putrid Flint River. They then fulfill every history and English teachers’ dreams. The book hits on environmental racism, media bias, hyper-segregation, anti-democratic governance, local vs. state rule, and disparities in healthcare to name a few. Moreover, the story is a wonder of reportage – fast paced, suspenseful, richly drawn characters.
For the young adult audience or the time pressed adults, “Poisoned Waters” is a purely engrossing book. You will leave the book feeling inspired by the story’s heroes and empowered to benefit your own community. I highly recommend it.
The book is everything. The authors start the history of Flint at the moment when the State of Michigan switches the water supply from Lake Huron to the historically putrid Flint River. They then fulfill every history and English teachers’ dreams. The book hits on environmental racism, media bias, hyper-segregation, anti-democratic governance, local vs. state rule, and disparities in healthcare to name a few. Moreover, the story is a wonder of reportage – fast paced, suspenseful, richly drawn characters.
For the young adult audience or the time pressed adults, “Poisoned Waters” is a purely engrossing book. You will leave the book feeling inspired by the story’s heroes and empowered to benefit your own community. I highly recommend it.
February 25, 2024
The single most important book I’ve ever read. I am disgusted by the level of incompetence at all levels of government demonstrated in this crisis and yet not at all surprised. I’m also endlessly inspired by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and particularly Miguel Del Toral. Dr. Mona for having the courage to admit to her patients that the advice she’d been giving them for a year and a half had put their children in danger and publicly correct the situation. And Del Toral for having the knowledge, spirit, and courage to defy such a large bureaucratic nightmare and spur action for this community.
The authors did a beautiful job exploring the complexities of the water crisis itself, the social history leading to it, and legacy on Flint and its children.
Quotes:
The people under a law that thwarted the democratic process still prevailed. Flint residents had fought, challenged the state, demanded better water, and finally captured the attention of the world. Flint was an example of the nation at its worst but also it’s best (p. 193).
C.S. Lewis wrote that the roots of evil are not found among hardened criminals or even death camps, which are the end result. He said it is “conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice” (p. 223).
The authors did a beautiful job exploring the complexities of the water crisis itself, the social history leading to it, and legacy on Flint and its children.
Quotes:
The people under a law that thwarted the democratic process still prevailed. Flint residents had fought, challenged the state, demanded better water, and finally captured the attention of the world. Flint was an example of the nation at its worst but also it’s best (p. 193).
C.S. Lewis wrote that the roots of evil are not found among hardened criminals or even death camps, which are the end result. He said it is “conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice” (p. 223).
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