In an effort to save money, Flint, Michigan in 2014 switched the source of its public water supply from the Detroit River to the less expensive Flint River. The cascade of generally well-known catastrophic events associated with lead exposure continue to unfold.
Settlement of civil lawsuits against various parties exceeds $626 million. Michigan alone spent $53 million on direct defense costs. An economist for plaintiffs in an ongoing case against two consulting firms testified that monetary damage for lost income for each child that drank lead contaminated Flint water range from $3 million to $8.5 million. Additional damages are necessary for “mental anguish, loss of social pleasures and enjoyments, embarrassment and humiliation.”