Lead in the water

Earlier this year I wrote about problems Flint, MI was having with its water supply. The problems have gotten worse. The proportion of infants and children with above-average levels of lead in their blood has nearly doubled since the city switched from the Detroit water system to using the Flint River as its water source, in 2014. The mayor has declared a state of emergency. The problems are caused by lead in the water, which according to the World Health Organization, “affects children’s brain development resulting in reduced intelligence quotient (IQ), behavioral changes such as shortening of attention span and increased antisocial behavior, and reduced educational attainment. Lead exposure also causes anemia, hypertension, renal impairment, immunotoxicity and toxicity to the reproductive organs. The neurological and behavioral effects of lead are believed to be irreversible."