Elon Musk Promises to Personally Fix Flint’s Water Crisis
The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, may have faded from the headlines, but it is far from over. While the city’s water has been meeting federal standards for about two years now, many residents do not trust the results and still have concerns about the water they’re drinking, cooking with and bathing in.
The crisis began in 2014 when the city of Flint switched water sources for its residents while a new pipeline was being built. The city’s water pipes were not treated with an anti-corrosion agent, allowing lead from the pipes to get into the water, causing contamination.
Multiple celebrities reached out to help those in Flint during the height of the crisis, including Bruno Mars, Pearl Jam, Cher, Jimmy Fallon, the Detroit Lions and Will and Jaden Smith. Now, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has joined the others, offering to help Flint’s residents as they continue dealing with water issues.
In a series of tweets, Musk promised to help fix the water in every house in Flint that has high water contamination levels.
“Please consider this a commitment that I will fund fixing the water in any house in Flint that has water contamination above FDA levels,” he wrote on Twitter. “No kidding.”
Please consider this a commitment that I will fund fixing the water in any house in Flint that has water contamination above FDA levels. No kidding.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 11, 2018
The tweets began as a response to a fellow Twitter user who said he was told Musk wouldn’t be able to help the city, and eventually the tweets prompted Flint’s mayor, Karen Weaver, to reach out to him as well.
A representative from Musk’s office has reportedly already called the mayor’s office and Musk tweeted that he himself will also be calling.
Sure, will call tomorrow
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 12, 2018
Exactly what Musk will do to help isn’t clear just yet, but for now, he is asking residents to reply to his tweet with their water test results and he will send someone to install a water filter. He also says he will organize a weekend to add filters to the houses still having issues, which he hopes will fix the perception that the water is bad in homes that are really OK.
For now, reply to my tweet with ppm & ppb test results & will send someone to install a water filter. Creating email flint@x.com, but I’m in China so that won’t be working until tomorrow.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 11, 2018
If you would like to help the city of Flint, financial contributions can be made to the Flint Water Fund at the United Way of Genesee County.