VNA’s Assignment in Flint
VNA’s Assignment in Flint
VNA was hired nearly a year into the crisis to conduct a one-week assessment at the water treatment plant. Its engineers were never in charge of the plant, nor did they have any power over the reckless decisions of those who were.
The Flint Water Crisis was a massive failure of government at every level, tracing all the way back to Governor Snyder and his direct reports.
The crisis was already in full effect by the time Veolia North America (VNA) arrived in Flint in February 2015 – ten months after the City switched water sources from treated Lake Huron water provided by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department to untreated Flint River water. VNA had no role in causing, prolonging, or worsening the crisis.
VNA’s Role
- VNA did not arrive in Flint until 10 months after the City switched water sources from treated Lake Huron water provided by the Detroit water system to untreated Flint River water.
- VNA was hired to do a one-week assessment of the water quality, to talk with some of the plant operators, tour the Flint Water Treatment Plant, and then to provide recommendations.
- The Flint Water Treatment Plant was run by the City, not VNA.
- VNA was not tasked with operating the Flint Water Treatment Plant.
- At no time did VNA have any power or authority to direct, or insist upon, any changes to how Flint residents received their water or where they received their water from.
- VNA was not authorized to test the water coming from faucets in people’s homes.
Government Hides High Lead Test Results
- All the water quality data the City of Flint provided to VNA showed the water to be in compliance with the Lead and Copper rule.
- Government officials hid from VNA’s engineers and the public exceptionally high lead test results at Ms. LeeAnne Walters’ home – results showing that lead content in her home was seven times the legal limit.
VNA’s Recommendations
- Even though VNA was not told about high lead test results, VNA’s engineers identified that the water was corrosive and could be a problem in the future, so VNA warned the City of Flint about the issue and recommended instituting corrosion control, which the City ignored.
- The City of Flint ignored all but one of VNA’s recommendations, as well as VNA’s follow-up offer to help with the implementation of them.
- The City falsely told VNA that they were implementing VNA’s recommendations in-house.
