Obama declares state of emergency over Flint water contamination

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Flint water plant
(Image credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

President Obama declared a state of emergency in Flint, Michigan, on Saturday in light of the city's ongoing water contamination crisis, The New York Times reports. The move was requested by Gov. Rick Snyder (R) so that the city could receive federal aid.

Flint's tap water became contaminated in 2014 when the city switched supplies. The elevated lead levels found in the water can lead to behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and kidney ailments.

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Julie Kliegman
Julie Kliegman

Julie Kliegman is a freelance writer based in New York. Her work has appeared in BuzzFeed, Vox, Mental Floss, Paste, the Tampa Bay Times and PolitiFact. Her cats can do somersaults.