Lead in the water supply has created a public health crisis in Flint, Michigan -- and provided a wake-up call to the rest of the country. The water supplied by some 2000 water districts around the US is contaminated with lead. For decades, a powerful industry pushed for the use of lead pipes in buildings, including schools and private homes. Lead in the drinking water can cause organ damage and mental disabilities in children, and it’s well known that there’s no safe level. So how was a national crisis allowed to occur — and what’s to be done?
Lead Poison: America's "Silent Epidemic"
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Credits
Guests:
- Peter Grevatt - Environmental Protection Agency - @EPAwater
- Christopher Cerf - Newark Public Schools - @NPSvoices
- Alison Young - USA Today - @alisonannyoung
- Gerald Markowitz - John Jay College / City University of New York
- Siddartha Roy - Virginia Tech - @H2Oetal