Defendants in a federal case regarding bottled water in Flint, Michigan are once again in court after the city and state both haven't complied with orders to deliver bottled water to certain residents.
The group responsible for bringing forth the suit went back to federal court to get a judge to enforce an order that requires the Michigan and the City of Flint to start regular delivery service of bottled water to households that don't have a properly installed and maintained water filter. Since November 10, three orders have been sent down to force the city and state to comply, and they have yet to do so.
President Obama recently signed a $170 million dollar bill that will send aid to Flint. The federal government is starting to take greater action while state officials continue to provide reasons why not to comply. According to the Detroit Free Press, state officials feel that the order is too expensive, unnecessary and counterproductive. The state's response to the continued water crisis has been two-fold. They claim that the lead levels in homes in Flint meet or exceed federal safety regulations and have cautioned residents against drinking water that hasn't been filtered.
Michael Steinberg, legal director of the ACLU of Michigan, is not pleased with the state's response. The ACLU of Michigan is one of the groups participating in the suit and Steinberg has said "enough is enough," and Flint's residents are "desperate" for clean water. Governor Rick Snyder's spokesperson, Anna Heaton, argues that the state has not delayed taking action to comply. "We continue to work toward compliance with Judge Lawson's order. The state does not currently possess the network necessary to immediately provide bottled water delivery to each household." Heaton said in a statement to the press.
The City of Flint has had lead contaminated water since April 2014. So far, only 13 current and former government employees have been criminally charged.
