Poisoned Water: How the Citizens of Flint, Michigan, Fought for Their Lives and Warned a Nation

Written by Candy J. Cooper and Marc Aronson

Narrated by Karen Chilton

In 2014, Flint, Michigan, was a cash-strapped city that had been built up, then abandoned by
General Motors. As part of a plan to save money, government officials decided that Flint would
temporarily switch its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River. Within months, many
residents broke out in rashes. Then it got worse: Children stopped growing. Some people were
hospitalized with mysterious illnesses; others died. Citizens of Flint protested that the water was
dangerous. Despite what seemed so apparent from the murky, foul-smelling liquid pouring from
the city’s faucets, officials refused to listen. They treated the people of Flint as the problem, not the
water—which was actually poisoning thousands.

Through interviews with residents and intensive research into legal records and news accounts,
journalist Candy J. Cooper, assisted by writer-editor Marc Aronson, reveals the true story of Flint.
Poisoned Water shows not just how the crisis unfolded in 2014, but also the history of racism and
segregation that led up to it, the beliefs and attitudes that fueled it, and how the people of Flint
fought—and are still fighting—for clean water and healthy lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781705010037

Reviews for Poisoned Water

[salsabrarian · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Engaging, horrifying and maddening in turn, this account of the Flint, MI, water crisis will fire up young activists wanting to change what's wrong in the world. Among the heroes and villains of the story, author Cooper rightly centers the voices of those most impacted by the crisis, the residents of Flint who, from the beginning, fought and yelled and researched and protested. Vital reading for those with interests in environmental justice, anti-racism, and effective activism.

[nancyadair-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

very book I read about the Flint Water Crisis makes me sad and leaves me angry. The stories of the suffering of the citizens of Flint are horrifying. Governing officials assigned by the state made decisions based on economic concerns and not the welfare of citizens.Candy J. Cooper saw that the excellent books already written about the crisis, including The Poisoned City by Anna Clark and What the Eyes Don't See by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, left some untold stories. In Poisoned Water, Cooper considers the crisis through the lens of the citizens of Flint, a predominately African American population, and as an example of racist policies and attitudes.The story of Flint is centered on General Motors whose plants brought a migration of workers to the city. Workers fought for a union and fair wages. When GM closed plants, those who could left the city. With the tax base decimated, Governor Snyder sent in an Emergency Manager [EM] to balance Flint's budget, disenfranchising elected officials.Detroit water was expensive and the EM opted to use Flint River water while the city developed a new source. As a cost-savings they omitted the use of anti-corrosives. The Flint River water destroyed the naturally occuring build-up in the lead pipes, releasing lead into the water.The health impact of the water change was soon manifested in discolored, foul smelling water that caused rashes, hair loss, and illness. People complained and were lied to by authorities who insisted the water tests showed no problems.It took years before the citizens complaints were investigated and finally addressed. "Who, then were the heroes?" Cooper notes that the media promoted several well-deserved heroes while forgetting the grassroots activists who struggled for years to be heard. In the end, the crisis, like natural disasters and pandemics, reveal the ugly truth of poverty and racism in America.The book is promoted for Middle Grade, and perhaps some young people that age will be able to handle it. I would recommend it for older teens and adults seeking a shorter history.I was given a free ebook by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.