Forester Network | By: Laura Sanchez | GPE – 28 June 2017:
The charges recently brought against five Michigan officials in relation to Flint’s water contamination crisis, and the involuntary manslaughter and misconduct charges against director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Nick Lyon, made me reflect on the massive responsibility shouldered by those of us in the water industry. Though we don’t always think about it, lives hang in the balance.
According to a recent ProPublica article, the involuntary manslaughter charges are unprecedented, marking the first time in American history that a government official has been charged in a citizen’s death for inaction.
Email evidence indicates that Lyon and other officials were aware of Legionnaires’ cases caused by under-treated water as early as 2015 but did not notify the public for another year. When these professionals failed to act, the charging documents assert that their passivity contributed to the death or serious injury of the citizens they were employed in to protect.
Article originally posted by Laura Sanchez on June 21, 2017 @ 1:06 pm In Water Efficiency Weekly,Water Sources: To read original article – please click here.
To read additional ABC News article published on June 14, 2017, detailing the timeline of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan – please click here.
