The state of Michigan has reached a preliminary settlement in a class action lawsuit over the Flint Water Crisis. The 600 million dollar settlement will provide direct payments to people who suffered harm from high lead levels in the city’s drinking water supply.
In 2014 state-appointed emergency financial managers switched the city’s drinking water to the Flint River from Detroit’s water system to save money. The city didn’t treat the water properly to control corrosion, lead leached into the drinking water, and blood lead levels in Flint children spiked. The state delayed revealing the crisis for months. Governor Gretchen Whitmer inherited the lawsuit from her Republican predecessor, Rick Snyder.
“Healing Flint will take a long time, the uncertainty and troubles that the people of Flint have endured is unconscionable," said Whitmer. "It is time for the state to do what it can now.”
Separate civil lawsuits against two private water treatment contractors continue.