Obama is set to meet Wednesday with city officials and residents affected by the lead poisoning.
Nicholas Kamm / AFP / Getty Images
President Obama is expected to arrive in Flint, Michigan, on Wednesday, where he will meet with the city's residents to discuss the ongoing water crisis.
Obama will also meet with Gov. Rick Snyder and Mayor Karen Weaver, attend a neighborhood roundtable with those affected by the lead-poisoning, and will also be briefed by other city officials.
The president's visit to Michigan serves as an effort to reassure Flint's residents that the federal government is not ignoring the crisis.
"I think it's also important for me shine a spotlight on the fact that Flint, although extreme, is not unique," Obama said last week. "We have underinvested in some of our basic infrastructure that we rely on for our public health," he said. "Hopefully, it will give me a chance to speak to the nation as a whole about how we need to ensure that our air is clear, our water is clean, and that our kids are safe."
Bill Pugliano / Getty Images
The water contamination happened when Flint changed its water supply from the Detroit System to the Flint River in 2013 in an effort to save money. Lead from the old pipes seeped into the water and children began experiencing high levels of lead in their blood — which can cause a number of health problems.
Investigations are underway to determine why it took state and federal officials so long to raise concerns about the contaminated water.
In January, Obama signed an emergency disaster declaration ordering aid to help combat the crisis. The declaration was only valid for 90 days and has since run out.
City health officials insist filtered water is now safe for drinking and cooking.
Last month, Snyder — who as Michigan governor has faced heavy criticism for his handling of the crisis, including from Democratic presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders — drank a glass of filtered Flint water, insisting it is safe to do so, and has called on Obama to do the same. It is unclear if Obama will sip the Flint water Wednesday.
from BuzzFeed - USNews http://ift.tt/1T1uBvg
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