Latest news with #safeDrinkingWater
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Years after problems with Flint's water emerged, the town has finally replaced all of its lead pipes
Michigan is set to announce that it has finally replaced all of the lead water pipes in the city of Flint, according to a report. The news comes a decade after lead-contaminated water was first found in its water system, resulting in extensive legal battles and national outrage over one of the country's most damaging water crises. There is no safe level of exposure to lead, which can result in reproductive issues, high blood pressure, hypertension, nerve disorders, muscle and joint pain, and memory and concentration problems in adults. In children, it can lead to hearing problems, slowed growth, headaches, learning and behavioral difficulties, lowered IQ, and damage to the brain and nervous system. Now, eight years after a court-ordered settlement required Flint officials to replace the pipes, nearly 11,000 have been replaced and more than 28,000 properties have been restored, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. In a release, it cited a progress report the state submitted to a federal court. 'Flint residents never gave up fighting for safe drinking water in the face of government indifference, mistruths, and incompetence. I've been angry that officials poisoned the drinking water in my home and community. But I will always be proud that Flint inspired a federal rule requiring that every lead pipe in the country be replaced in the next decade. Flint changed America, for the better,' Melissa Mays, of the organization Water You Fighting For, said in a statement shared by the council. 'In these challenging times for our country — marked by chaos and pain for so many — the story of Flint is a shining beacon of hope,' President Manish Bapna added. 'It is a reminder of the power that we the people of this country hold. It's a reminder of why preserving American democracy is so essential. It's a reminder of what's possible if we stand up to powerful forces and refuse to back down.' Neither Michigan attorney general's office nor Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley immediately responded to requests for comment from The Independent. The water crisis began in 2014, after a state-appointed emergency manager ended a contract with Detroit's water system, switching to the Flint River to save money. The state did not require treatment to prevent corrosion that caused lead to leach into the water supply of the majority-Black city. Nearly 100,000 Flint residents were exposed to lead through their drinking water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One study found that the number of children with elevated lead levels in their blood doubled or even tripled. The switch coincided with an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease, or a severe form of pneumonia, that killed a dozen people and sickened at least 87 between June 2014 and October 2015, the council reported. It was the third-largest outbreak of Legionnaires' disease recorded in U.S. history. Three years later, the city's residents — a third of whom live in poverty — sued Flint and Michigan officials for access to safe water, resulting in a landmark settlement in 2017. A federal court in Detroit ordered Flint to give every resident the opportunity to have their lead pipe replaced at no cost to them and to provide comprehensive tap water testing, implement a faucet filter distribution and education program, and maintain funding for health programs to help residents. The council has said the Covid pandemic and 'ineffective' management of the program stalled the work by years. Since then, Flint's story has inspired action at a national level, and the Biden administration's Environmental Protection Agency issued a federal rule requiring every lead pipe to be replaced in the next ten years. The agency estimates that as many as 9 million homes are served through lead pipes across the country and that replacing them could cost at least $45 billion. A decision on whether to honor that commitment is due from the Trump administration later this summer.
Mail & Guardian
30-06-2025
- Health
- Mail & Guardian
Y2 NRF-rated young scholar pursues cutting-edge research to benefit society
Dr Muthumuni Managa, Unisa Senior Lecturer As a young academic with limitless potential, Unisa's Dr Muthumuni Managa is making a mark in the scientific community to benefit society through ensuring access to safe and healthy drinking water, propelled by research. Dr Muthumuni Managa, a senior lecturer at the Institute for Nanotechnology and Water Sustainability (iNanoWS) in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) at Unisa, and an emerging Y2 National Research Foundation-rated researcher, who is powerfully driven to become a prominent scholar, motivated by a vision of a society that has access to safe and healthy drinking water. Managa is making a mark in the scientific community as a young academic with limitless potential. She has produced numerous high-quality publications (63) in renowned journals and boasts an h-index of 21 (Google Scholar), demonstrating the excellent quality of her work and research abilities. Managa has always aspired to play a more active role in shaping the South African scientific research landscape by being a leader in her area of research interest, and she has achieved this by pursuing novel research and being willing to take risks and explore comprehensive topics. 'I would also like South Africa to continuously be recognised internationally for cutting-edge research,' says Managa. Her research interests in water purification aim to improve South Africans' lives, thus playing a critical role in benefiting and contributing to society. Born and raised in Ha-Rabali, a rural village in Venda, Limpopo, Managa initially attended schools without science laboratories. However, this did not deter her from pursuing a career in the sciences with significant societal impact. Subsequently, she attended a model C school with state-of-the-art laboratories. 'These two worlds gave me a holistic view of what privilege entails, more so, a firm grasp on the true dichotomy between ability and opportunity, or equality and equity,' she reflects. Cost-effective, eco-friendly water disinfection methods Managa's current research is on proposed cost-effective, eco-friendly, and highly effective water disinfection methods against antimicrobial-resistant microbes. She adds, 'A recent strategy I adopted is to employ antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI) instead of the present disinfection techniques. Acquiring pure water free of pathogens is a matter of concern that calls for new, effective, low-cost water disinfection techniques.' 'In most rural areas,' continues Managa, 'water is stored in buckets or water tanks, which can result in formation of biofilms,' therefore, she says that this specific project she is involved in includes carrying out community sensitisation and training of the villagers, particularly women, in basic water purification and storage techniques. 'My research interest will help me to continue to play a critical role in designing systems that will benefit our society,' she explains. En route to effecting change Managa's research work and zest for improved water quality have given her numerous opportunities. She has received support from Unisa through various research and innovation support programmes. These include the Women in Research (WIR) programme, the Innovation Support Programme (ISP) and VisionKeepers Programme (VKP). 'With the support that Unisa gives to young academics , nothing is stopping you from achieving your goals and reaching international stages with your research,' says Managa. The last three years have been filled with many highlights and achievements for Managa. She is part of the TWAS-UNESCO Associateship Scheme, an international programme that supports regular visits by researchers from developing countries to centres of excellence in the Global South. Managa is the 2024 recipient of the University of Michigan African Presidential Scholarship (UMAPS), which supports the development of the next generation of African scholars by integrating them into international academic networks. In addition, Managa is a fellow of the 9th edition of the Science by Women programme promoted by Women for Africa Foundation. Science by Women aims to promote African women's leadership in scientific research and technology transfer to address key challenges facing Africa in areas such as health, agriculture, food security, water, energy and climate change. In 2024, she supervised her first Master of Science degree student to graduation, with more students scheduled to graduate in 2025. A future professor in the making, Managa is currently participating in Phase 2 of the Future Professors Programme (FPP), managed by the University of Johannesburg, on behalf of the Department of Higher Education and Training. The programme is designed to prepare South Africa's most promising early- and mid-career academics for advancement to the rank of professorship. Concluding her message, Managa advises: 'As young South Africans, we need to create opportunities for ourselves, and for others; therefore, it is crucial that we work hard in driving the knowledge base of this country through cutting-edge research that will significantly impact our country. Nothing is impossible when you put your mind to it.'
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Another broken promise': California environmental groups reel from EPA grant cancellations
After weeks of speculation, the news came down with chilling formality: "Dear EPA Grant Recipient," read the official government email. "Attached is your Termination of Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency." That's how hundreds of organizations found out they had officially lost EPA grant funding as part of the many cutbacks to environmental programs demanded by the Trump administration. Among them was the Community Water Center, a nonprofit that works to provide safe, clean drinking water to rural communities in California. Their $20-million award had been earmarked for a major project to consolidate water systems in the low-income Central Coast communities of Pajaro, Sunny Mesa and Springfield, which have long been reliant on domestic wells and small water systems that are riddled with contaminants above legal limits. The project was more than five years in the making, and now sits in limbo as President Trump and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin slash funding for more than 780 grants geared toward environmental justice that were awarded under President Biden. "It's a huge disappointment — this grant would be funding an infrastructure project to deliver safe drinking water, and I think that everyone would agree that residents across the United States need to have safe drinking water," said Susana De Anda, Community Water Center's executive director. "Safe water is not political." Read more: The EPA plans to cut hundreds of environmental grants. Democrats say it's illegal The notice arrived on May 1, nearly two months after the EPA and the president's unofficial Department of Government Efficiency first announced that they would terminate more than 400 environmental grants totaling $1.7 billion in what Zeldin described as an effort to "rein in wasteful federal spending." A leaked list reviewed by The Times revealed at least 62 California grants were on the chopping block. However, court documents filed last week indicate that the actual number of environmental grant cancellations in the U.S. is closer to 800. The finding is part of a lawsuit from nonprofit groups challenging the administration's efforts to freeze funds awarded awarded under Biden's Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as first reported by the Washington Post. A legal declaration filed by the EPA says 377 grantees have already received formal notices of termination, and approximately 404 more will be noticed soon. It is not immediately clear how many California organizations will lose federal funding. EPA officials declined to provide a list of affected groups and said the agency does not comment on pending legislation. But a handful of groups in the state have confirmed they are on the list of cuts. Among them is the Los Angeles Neighborhood Trust, which said it lost a $500,000 grant intended to help plan equitable development projects along the L.A. River, and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, which said it lost a $155,000 grant for a project to provide food to communities in need in Vallejo. Cade Cannedy, director of programs with the Palo Alto-based nonprofit Climate Resilient Communities, said the group lost a $500,000 grant that would have provided air purifiers to children with asthma and seniors with disabilities in East Palo Alto. The community suffers from high rates of respiratory issues as a result of decades of redlining, segregation and zoning practices that have concentrated polluting activities in the area, including hazardous waste processing facilities and vehicle emissions from nearby highways, Cannedy said. "It's a huge loss for our communities, but I think the other thing that's really almost sadder is that for these communities, this is just another broken promise in a decades-long string of broken promises," he said. The termination email was the first communication the group has received from the EPA since Trump took office, he said. It represents a significant blow for the small nonprofit, which had already hired two new employees to help implement the project and deliver air purifiers to about 400 families and potentially some schools and senior centers. "At small community-based organizations like ours, we never have excellent cash flow — it's not like we're sitting on half a million dollars at any point in time," Cannedy said. "We're dependent on these grants and the reimbursement process to make things work." Read more: Trump makes sweeping move to undercut state climate laws, including California's The grant cancellations are the latest in a string of actions from the Trump administration that advocates say are harmful to the environment, including loosening air and water quality regulations; laying off scientists and researchers; ramping up coal production; opening national forests for industrial logging; narrowing protections for endangered species and dismissing hundreds of scientists working a major national climate report, among many others. Democratic lawmakers, including California Sen. Adam Schiff and Sen. Alex Padilla, have condemned the administration's grant cancellations, which they say is an illegal clawing back of congressionally appropriated funds. "EPA's unlawful, arbitrary, and capricious terminations of [environmental justice] grant programs eliminate commonsense, nonpartisan federal programs that clean the air and water and protect Americans from natural disasters," the senators wrote in a March letter to Zeldin, along with seven other Democratic members of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. The EPA is potentially facing tighter purse strings. Trump's proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year would slash $5 billion from the agency tasked with protecting the nation's health and environment — by far the largest cut in the EPA's history, representing approximately 55% of its 2025 budget. Meeting the reduction will require mass layoffs and would effectively cripple the EPA's core functions, according to the nonprofit Environmental Protection Network, a D.C.-based watchdog group composed of more than 600 former EPA workers. "This is a reckless and short-sighted proposal that will lead to higher levels of toxic pollution in the air we breathe and water we drink across the nation," read a statement from Michelle Roos, the EPN's executive director. "This is a wrecking-ball approach that would gut America's front-line defense for protecting people's health and environment." Indeed, the loss of grant funding will have lasting real-world effects, according to José Franco García, executive director of the San Diego County-based nonprofit the Environmental Health Coalition. The group lost a $500,000 grant intended for a number of initiatives in the Barrio Logan neighborhood, a predominantly low-income community that suffers from pollution, poor air quality and other environmental problems due to its proximity to the port, industrial facilities and an interstate highway, he said. The projects included the creation of a long-awaited park along Boston Avenue, a green shuttle bus system, and efforts to improve area homes with electrification, solar power and lead abatement, García said. He said the grant was also going to fund air filters in homes of children with asthma. "These are the exact things that EPA money should be going to," García said. "And what the current version of the EPA is doing is not what it was meant to do, what it was meant to be able to protect, and what it was meant to be able to serve." García noted that the grant cancellations are also costing nonprofits time and potentially jobs as they scramble keep up with rapidly changing conditions. The grant was approved last summer and the group had spent months preparing to start the work. "Just as we are expected to meet the terms of any contract, we thought that the federal government would be as well," he said. Read more: 'It's a huge loss': Trump administration dismisses scientists preparing climate report De Anda, of the Community Water Center, was similarly concerned about the public health implications of the grant terminations. The Monterey County communities Pajaro, Sunny Mesa and Springfield have struggled with water quality issues for years, with 81% of domestic wells there testing positive for one or more dangerous contaminants including nitrate, 123-TCP, arsenic and chromium 6, she said. The chemicals can contribute to serious adverse health effects such as reproductive issues, infant blood conditions and cancer, according to the EPA. The Community Water Center's $20-million grant would have funded the first phase of critical infrastructure work, including constructing pipelines to physically consolidate the communities into a single water system owned and operated by Pajaro/Sunny Mesa Community Services District, which would serve about 5,500 people and an elementary school. Community Water Center is exploring all avenues to keep the work moving forward, De Anda said, and she hopes state officials will step in to fill the void left by the EPA. "Our community deserves to have reliable infrastructure that delivers safe drinking water," she said. "Stopping the project is not an option." One of the area's residents, 49-year-old Maria Angelica Rodriguez, said she currently has to rely on bottled water for drinking, cooking and other basic needs. Every Thursday, a regional bottled water program delivers 5 gallons for each of the three members of her household, which include Rodriguez, her mother and her sister. But she also worries about her 7-month-old grandson whom she babysits throughout the week, whom she fears could get sick from the area's tainted water. Speaking through an interpreter, Rodriguez said she would like Trump to stop and think about the children and also farm workers in the area who need to drink the water. The project brought hope to the community, she said, and its cancellation has made her very sad. "El agua es vida," she said. "Water is life." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
