President Obama criticized what he called a “man-made disaster” in the city of Flint, Michigan, Wednesday during a visit to address the city’s water crisis. The crisis began when an emergency manager appointed by Governor Rick Snyder switched the city’s water supply to the corrosive Flint River, which ate away at the lead pipes, poisoning the drinking water. During his visit, Obama took sips of filtered water to reassure residents it’s now safe.
President Barack Obama: “I know that there’s a lot of suspicion about whether or not the water coming out of people’s taps in their homes are safe or whether they’re still contaminated and still a problem. And I want to emphasize that the EPA has looked at this very carefully, and they are very confident that if you use a filter, then it is safe for kids over six.”