Michigan attorney general: Companies botched job in Flint water crisis

[alp227]

Source: Detroit Free Press

FLINT — A global water company and Texas-based engineering firm "botched the job" in Flint, helping to send the city into an ongoing drinking water crisis that has harmed public health and caused untold damages to the state, Michigan's attorney general said at a news conference Wednesday.

The comments from state Attorney General Bill Schuette came after his office filed a lawsuit early Wednesday against water company Veolia North America and engineering firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, as well as several related companies in connection with lead and other contaminants in Flint's drinking water supply, alleging the firms' "acts and omission constitute professional negligence, fraud and public nuisance."

At its heart, the lawsuit accuses the companies which did work for Flint of failing to diagnose the city's water problems properly, setting up the conditions that led to a catastrophic change in water supply. The civil suit also alleged that Veolia recommended fixes that may have made the lead contamination and other quality problems worse. The companies listed as defendants include Veolia North America and associated companies Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam and Leo A. Daly Co., which is LAN's parent company.

Read more: http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/flint-water-crisis/2016/06/22/michigan-attorney-general-companies-botched-job-flint-water-crisis/86241350/

[IllinoisBirdWatcher]

1. The Governor and his hand-picked appointed manager caused the problem.

Trying to blame subcontractors is a dodge.

[Motown_Johnny]

2. This is pure bull shit. Snyder and his Emergency Manager did this.

It seems clear to me that they picked the wrong fight here. The Michigan State Government choose to draw water from the Flint river instead of from Lake Huron.

That is the root cause of the problem.

[Vincardog]

3. The cause of the problem was and is the Conservatives fetish for privatizing public monopolies for

Private Profit. The un-elected "managers" chose to poison the people of Flint in an effort to make MONEY.

[Midnight Writer]

9. Ding Ding Ding! Public services should NEVER be turned over to private businesses.

The goal of a private business is to provide minimal service for maximum cost. The difference between service and cost is called PROFIT, the lifeblood of any business. They are accountable only to the investors who are expecting maximum profits.

The goal of a public service is to provide service to the public, and they are held accountable through elections and public officials.

[Vincardog]

11. Or they SHOULD BE held accountable through elections and public officials who are answerable to

The People not their donors.

[etherealtruth]

4. I trust Schutte to investigate this as much as ....

... I trust Snyder to supply my home with potable water

[Eugene]

5. Blame the engineers, not the decision makers.

This is an obvious attempt to fix blame on anybody except Snyder's crew.

[Nitram]

6. Pure BS. The governor, and his administration bear full responsibility for this criminal act.

[Stuart G]

7. I agree.

The governor needs to be tried and found guilty..

[chapdrum]

8. AG doing his best

for Snyder, ad nauseum.

[harun]

10. Privatize the profits, socialize the risk. Life in the land of the LLC.

Limited liability corporations and a fully liable public.