Believe it or not, the Flint Water Crisis was caused and helped by civil and environmental engineers. Before the water supply changed to the Flint River, engineers from the LAN (the engineering firm that was consulted) promised officials that with proper procedures, the water could be clean enough. LAN engineers also decided that corrosion control was not necessary for the Flint water pipes, because the Flint River was supposed to be a temporary water source. This turned out to be a terrible decision, since the corrosion of the pipes is what led to undrinkable water. Although LAN might be at risk of more legal trouble than the State government, they are denying that they were part of the problem.
On the opposite perspective, engineers are also the ones who made Flint residents aware that there was a problem. Engineers are the ones that test the water for lead poisoning and other harmful levels of bacteria, and they eventually found that this water was not safe for humans. Without proper testing, Flint officials could have continued to tell citizens the water was safe to drink.
Terri Olson is an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, who studies the use of home filters. Olson found that the use of the filters supplied by the state is not as sufficient as everyone thinks they are. Olson concludes that although the filters are effective at removing metals, they also encourage the growth of pathogens and microbes. These are harmful to people with already weakened immune systems, like the residents of Flint.
Do you think that the LAN engineers really were to blame for the crisis because they advised "with proper procedures" that the water would work, but it seems that the proper procedures were not followed. Also the corrosion of the pipes shouldn't be their fault for advising that corrosion control would not be necessary because they were told the river would only be a temporary fix.
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