President Barack Obama fulfilled his promise to visit Flint, Michigan. And to dispel the fears resulting from its recent Flint water crisis, he sipped a glass of filtered water sourced from one of its faucets.
The POTUS visited Flint to review the progress being made to solve the city's lead contamination of its water supply. After he was induced by a reporter to taste the water, the president said he does not normally engage in such "stunts" but he nevertheless did it to prove that the water is safe even for children older than 6.
"Filtered water is safe and it works," said Obama. He added that "filters are now available for everyone in the city."
A previous report indicated that the president's party arrived on Tuesday ahead of their planned arrival at Bishop International Airport. There are a number of planned events on the north and south sides of the city with government officials as well as some residents.
This report also said that the arrival of Barack Obama and his party is closed to the public. In addition, the White House did not say whether or not the general public will be permitted to attend his speech at the Northwestern High School.
The president said the Flint water crisis offered the chance to rebuild the economically strapped city and make it better. But he admitted that it will take two years to change the pipes that caused the lead poisoning of the city's water supply.
Lead contaminated water from old underground mains has leached into the city's water supply. The presence of too much lead in drinking water leads to behavioral problems and permanent brain damage, particularly in young children.
As many as 100,000 residents in Flint, composed mostly of African-American descent did not enjoy safe drinking water since 2014. With the visit of Obama and his promise of a permanent fix, the Flint water crisis will hopefully be solved permanently.
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