Gov. Rick Snyder has activated the Michigan National Guard to aid water distribution efforts in Flint and is requesting support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Late Tuesday, the governor issued an executive order to activate the National Guard, the state's latest step in an effort to provide relief to Flint residents exposed to contaminated drinking water.
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The decision comes after about 45 Michigan State Police troopers and other state workers began Tuesday distributing water and filters to residents without them because of the lead poisoning crisis that has put Flint in the national spotlight and even drawn comments from the White House.
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Flint, operating under a state-appointed emergency manager at the time, began using the Flint River for drinking water in April 2014 after disconnecting from the Detroit water system’s Lake Huron. Residents immediately complained about the taste, odor and discoloration.
Independent scientists eventually discovered high levels of lead in the water, and the state health department confirmed the findings Oct. 1. Flint was reconnected to the Detroit water system in mid-October, but state officials said this week the city’s drinking water still is not considered safe.
