LANSING —This week marks the fifth anniversary of the start of the Flint water crisis when Flint’s water source was switched from the Detroit water system to the Flint River leading to lead poisoning and a Legionnaires outbreak. State Rep. Sheldon Neeley (D-Flint) first called for an investigation into the crisis shortly after taking office in 2015 and has introduced legislation each session to provide funding and resources to the city to address the crisis. In honor of today’s anniversary, Rep. Neeley issued the following statement:
“Five years ago, our community was forever changed. The water crisis challenged our faith – in ourselves, in our leaders, and in things we never thought we should question: the very safety of our water. We have come a long way since 2014, not because it was easy, but because we are fighters. But I want more for our community than to fight; I want us to thrive. Even though the television cameras have gone home and many have chosen to forget what happened, we have not. I am proud of the work we have done to begin the process of healing our community, but there is still more left to do. I will continue to fight to see Flint made whole and to ensure this kind of tragedy never happens again.”