Tech billionaire Elon Musk has been known to declare oneself assistance , from donate solar battery to Puerto Ricotobuilding a flyspeck ‘ submarine’to deliverance that Siamese soccer squad that was trapped in a cave . ( It was never put to use . ) The latest catastrophe to land on Musk ’s radar ? The water crisis in Flint , Michigan .
The predominantly fateful urban center of Flint has been reeling from a manmade water crisis since 2014 when the city switched its water source , exposing everyone to lead - foul water . Twelve people diedas a answer of a Legionnaires outbreak from the same pee source change . move over how many time the land andcitytold residents the body of water was safe when it was n’t , mass have a hard fourth dimension trusting their water even today .
Now , Musk , CEO of Tesla and SpaceX , want to help oneself . He hoppedon TwitterWednesday to affirm his “ loyalty ” to “ fund fixing the water in any theater in Flint that has water system contamination . ” And the city ’s mayor is ready to work with him .
“ This would be the first clip for someone at [ Musk ’s ] level to have taken pastime in Flint and say , ‘ I want to help , ’ ” Mayor Karen Weaver told Earther .
The mayor ’s government agency severalise Earther it has been in touch with Musk ’s squad for preliminary conversation about what this partnership or contribution or whatever Musk is proffer could look like . Weaver said she still has n’t gotten Musk on the phone , but the plan is for that to happen by Friday .
First on her agenda ? To tell Musk what the city actually needs . Musk had tweet about weewee filters , but the state alreadyoffers exempt filtersto Flint residents . And Weaver say Musk ’s team is listening , which is a safe sign . If this billionaire need to parachute into a complex environmental catastrophe , mind is animportant first step .
The mayor would n’t mind some help withFlint ’s ongoing pipe surrogate . The city currently plans to put back all its lead armed service pipes by 2019 , a feat that is expected to be nearly $ 200 million ( which the city is funding through a legal settlement and with state and federal help ) . “ If we could finish that sooner , that would be a wonderful thing , ” Weaver say . “ This class would be smashing ! ”
That ’s one potential avenue . Economic development is another . Growing economic chance in this city , where nearly half the universe live below the impoverishment line , would immensely aid its recuperation , Weaver said . The mayor hopes their conversation will include opportunities in technical school , chip in Musk ’s role in the sector . Her conversation with his team did n’t shy aside from that option .
“ They ’re interested in technical school , ” she say . “ They ’re interested in workforce development . They ’re interested in environmental Department of Justice issues . That ’s what make it so exciting . ”
Weaver is n’t distressed about a private entity interpose in public affairs : After all , the urban center ’s accepted donations from major companies ( like Nestlé ) and celebrities ( like Will Smith ) before .
But Musk ’s enthusiasm has been screw to run to disappointment or , well , nothing at all , fromfailed projectionsfor his auto company to a so - calledself - sustaining cityon Mars that still lacks solid plans . So until we see some outcome , Musk ’s newfound committal to solve Flint ’s pee crisis should be met with some skepticism .
https://gizmodo.com/is-michigan-s-ambitious-new-drinking-water-rule-enough-1826301146
Ultimately , trust rest at the heart of what ’s go on in Flint . Residents are lento retrieve confidence in metropolis officials , Weaver said , but they ’ve lost faith in the country of Michigan . specially after itendeda costless water bottle statistical distribution program in April . The mayor does n’t apprise any of her constituents to wassail the tap piss , and she even seems wary about filtered water .
“ I expend filtered water , as well , but most of the prison term , I ’m using bottled water , ” Weaver enounce .
Elon MuskFlint Water CrisisLead
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