Uncovering America: Unhealed scars of 2014 Flint water crisis

The 2014 water crisis in the city of Flint, Michigan, stands as one of the worst cases of water contamination and lead poisoning in U.S. history. The crisis unfolded when the authorities in Flint, grappling with financial troubles, switched the city's water source to the inadequately treated Flint River, causing lead to leach from the water supply pipes network and leading to an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. This resulted in at least 12 deaths and hundreds of children with elevated lead levels.

Residents who drank tap water experienced varying degrees of hair loss, skin rashes and allergic reactions. "A lot of people have skin issues. People had their hair breaking out." "You can see the spots all over me." "My son was actually taping his face up on his ... his flesh was falling out. When he pulled his clothes off, his flesh stuck to him." These accounts reflect the harm residents say they suffered as a result of water contamination.

After the water crisis erupted, authorities concealed water quality issues and delayed intervention, ultimately leading to a systemic public health crisis whose impact continues to cast a shadow over the local community to this day.