Recent NOVA on Flint and Its Poisoned Water

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the NOVA documentary on the Flint water crisis, examining the events and scientific findings related to the contamination of water in Flint, Michigan. Participants explore the implications of the crisis, the response from authorities, and broader issues regarding water safety in the United States.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants highlight the documentary's focus on the science behind the Flint water crisis and the challenges faced by citizens and scientists in getting their voices heard.
  • One participant expresses disappointment that the documentary did not address legal consequences for those responsible, suggesting that the situation may be viewed as criminal.
  • A participant references additional articles discussing ongoing legal actions related to the crisis, indicating that charges have been filed against individuals involved.
  • Another participant mentions a companion article in a statistics magazine that discusses the role of statistical analysis in uncovering the issues in Flint, although access to the full article is limited.
  • Concerns are raised about the safety of water in other cities, with one participant noting that many areas still have lead pipes, which poses a risk of similar contamination.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a shared concern about the Flint water crisis and its implications, but there is no consensus on the adequacy of the documentary or the legal outcomes related to the crisis. Multiple perspectives on the broader issue of water safety in the U.S. are presented.

Contextual Notes

Some discussions reference external articles and legal developments, but the details of these claims are not fully explored within the thread. The conversation reflects varying levels of concern and awareness regarding water safety issues beyond Flint.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in public health, environmental science, legal implications of public safety failures, and statistical analysis in crisis situations may find this discussion relevant.

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This NOVA documentary outlines the events of the Flint water crisis along with the science that uncovered the truth:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/poisoned-water.html

It also gets into how the science, the citizens of Flint and the scientists were repeatedly attacked and discounted by the state despite the mounting evidence.
 
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jedishrfu said:
This NOVA documentary outlines the events of the Flint water crisis along with the science that uncovered the truth:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/poisoned-water.html

It also gets into how the science, the citizens of Flint and the scientists were repeatedly attacked and discounted by the state despite the mounting evidence.

I was kind of disappointed that the documentary didn't say whether or not anyone went to jail. It sure strikes me as a crime.
But a quick googling points out that justice may yet be served:

Charges against 3 in Flint water crisis 'only the beginning' [CNN]
Updated April 20, 2016
State Attorney General Bill Schuette told reporters that the charges "are only the beginning" of a lengthy and exhaustive probe.
.
5 Charged With Involuntary Manslaughter in Flint Water Crisis [N.Y.Times]
JUNE 14, 2017​
.
I guess they're lucky they don't live in China:

China executes two for tainted milk scandal [The Guardian]
24 November 2009
China executed a dairy farmer and a milk salesman today for their role in a tainted infant formula scandal in which at least six children died and 300,000 were made ill, state media said.
 
As a companion piece to the NOVA documentary, there was an article in Significance (a statistics magazine for general audiences, published by the Royal Statistical Society) which discussed the Flint water crisis and the role that statistical analysis played in exposing it.

Unfortunately, the main article is behind a pay wall -- I receive the magazine complementary as a member of the American Statistical Association (ASA) -- but I do have a link to an introduction to the discussion:

https://www.significancemagazine.co...he-hunt-for-exoplanets?highlight=WyJmbGludCJd
 
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So shameful! My cities water is supposed to be some of the best in the country, yet after Flint, I went out and got a water filter!
 
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