Flint MI Water Chemistry Jan 2016

Flint, Michigan water chemistry

The drinking water in Flint Michigan suffers from three problems: lead, bacteria, and color and turbidity issues.

Lead: The lead got into the water because the City switched its source from Lake Huron to the nearby Flint River. This water is more corrosive to calcium carbonate. When water is non-corrosive, it deposits a calcium carbonate film or lime scale; this covering can insulate pipes, boilers and other components of a system from contact with water. When no protective scale is formed, water is considered to be aggressive and corrosion can occur. The Flint River water stripped off the protective layer that had built up inside all the water pipes and proceeded to dissolve the lead pipes (installed 70+ years ago). This oxidation-reduction chemistry is well known; water is routinely treated to eliminate the corrosive properties. In Flint this treatment was not done, in order to save the State $100 a day.

The lead is invisible. The EPA action level for lead is 15 parts per billion (pbb). There were some measurements of Flint drinking water at over 50 times that concentration. Still, you can't see that.

The medical impact of lead is catastrophic nerve damage to children. There is no safe level of lead exposure; it causes damage at the lowest measurable concentrations. Lead is strongly correlated with reduced IQ, increased ADD, and even violence. The potential damage done to the 9,000 children of Flint, Michigan is incredibly severe and irreversible.

Color: The dramatic and revolting colors of the Flint drinking water are likely due to iron, from the river water, or algae or other plant matter as well as suspended sediments (mud) from the river water that is inadequately treated. Green or blue water may also have been caused by corroding copper pipes.

Bacteria: When water carries lots of suspended sediments, it can carry lots of bacteria and be resistant to disinfection by chlorination. Turbid water is generally not safe, although if it only has high iron or manganese it may be colored (but not turbid) and still be safe.

Widespread reports of sickness, such as flu-like diseases, were probably caused by bacteria such as e. coli in the drinking water that was from the polluted source and inadequately treated. Legionaries’ disease, which killed 10 people, was transmitted via the drinking water.

Conclusion: The drinking water problems in Flint, Michigan were caused by prioritizing short-term cost savings, overriding standard water management practices. The imposed huge costs to the population, whose complaints were ignored due to politics.