It’s beyond time: Flint residents deserve payment from water crisis settlement

The water tower in Flint, Michigan with the words "Flint STRONG" written on its light blue dome.
Photo: Jenifer Veloso

It’s been over 10 years since the Flint water crisis started, and yet residents of Flint have not received justice. They still have not received any money from a $626 million settlement approved in November 2021. They still pay among the highest water rates in the country, and no level of government has ever declared that Flint’s water is safe to drink.

It’s beyond time. Flint residents deserve the financial restitution that’s owed to them. Lawyers already siphoned off $180 million from the settlement. That amount was approved in February 2022. According to the Detroit Free Press, approximately $64.4 million of this had been paid out by March of 2024. I may have some of the numbers wrong because it’s impossible to find clear, up-to-date information. And the Flint Water Official Settlement Website is no help. If you look at the site, you’ll understand why residents are confused and frustrated.

Here’s what I do know: The people who were harmed by the water crisis — Flint kids and families — still haven’t received a penny from the settlement. Flint kids are struggling with a poverty rate of approximately 50%. This money could and should be helping now.

I have repeatedly asked officials, “Why haven’t residents been paid?” And I’ve been told, “It’s complicated.” A year ago, I spoke to the special master handling the lawsuits. She was thorough and competent — maybe one of the best in the business.

But it’s time. It’s time to start getting funds to kids and families who were impacted by one of the worst man-made public health disasters in history. No money should have gone to anyone else before payment was made to members of the class action suit.

Understanding the settlement, its timeline and the next steps has been overly complicated. What we’ve heard is that residents are weary and leery of this process. When they’ve filed claims, they’ve been presented with roadblocks, additional requests for proof of harm and refusal of claims. Some residents have shared that they have not been able to talk to anyone about why their claims have been denied. They’ve received nothing but letters that don’t provide any helpful information about recourse.

Flint residents deserve better. They deserve transparency about what to expect with this settlement and how to get the money that’s owed to them.

Residents also deserve a joint statement from appropriate agencies at all levels of government — city, state and federal — about the safety of the municipal water supply. The water in Flint is testing below new, much tougher lead and copper rules. But scientific data suggesting that it tests below action levels isn’t good enough. Government officials need to back these facts with messaging that is clear and understandable to every Flint resident. If it’s safe to drink, then say so. And if residents need more guidance on ensuring the safety of the plumbing and appliances within their homes, provide it.

The Flint water crisis was the epitome of economic injustice. It’s an example of what happens when people — and, in this case, an entire community — are discounted for decades. Don’t let the crisis and the effects of it continue to be magnified. Get the payments to these kids and families now.

Flint residents deserve so much more than they have been given. It’s time for government to step up and help heal the wounds it caused.