Is Benton Harbor, Mich. Water Safe to Drink?

Latest

Young people fighting for clean water in Benton Harbor
Young people fighting for clean water in Benton Harbor. They couldn’t believe no one told them that the water was toxic.
Photo / Valerie Jean
Rev. Edward Pinkney
Photo / Valerie Jean

Rev. Edward Pinkney, President of the Benton Harbor Community Water Council, a group fighting since 2018 to get lead and other toxins out of the town’s drinking water, said he has had a hard time getting straight answers from the EPA about the water’s safety. In addition to lead, in September inspectors found major violations in the water plant’s disinfection treatment. Chlorine treatment monitoring equipment was broken. Record keeping was bad on how much treatment they used, which is added to prevent harmful bacteria from growing in the water. Rev. Pinkney asked environmental agencies: “Is the water safe from bacterial contamination?” He said, “I received no answer [and] it’s the combination of bacteria and lead which is so dangerous. It can make people very ill, and can also kill them.  It’s a silent killer. The question is: Is Benton Harbor water safe to drink? The answer is, it is not.”
— People’s Tribune

PT Logo collage
+ Articles by this author

Free to republish but please credit the People's Tribune. Visit us at www.peoplestribune.org, email peoplestribune@gmail.com, or call 773-486-3551.

The People’s Tribune brings you articles written by individuals or organizations, along with our own reporting. Bylined articles reflect the views of the authors. Unsigned articles reflect the views of the editorial board. Please credit the source when sharing: ©2024 peoplestribune.org. Please donate to help us keep bringing you voices of the movement. Click here. We’re all volunteer, no paid staff.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Featured

War No More – Veterans Reflect on the Meaning of Memorial Day

Veterans for Peace say wars will not end, – and nuclear war will not be averted – unless there is a sea-change in the thinking of the U.S. people and our political leaders.

Harvard University Stands Up to Illegal Federal Government Actions

Read letter by Harvard President Alan M. Garner, about the University's stance on the Federal government's illegal actions to force Harvard to give up the school's academic independence and academic freedom.

Trump’s Big Cruel, Deadly Policy Bill is a Healthcare Heist

Outrage is rising against Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” that would give massive tax breaks to the rich while slashing Medicaid, nutrition, and clean energy. Some say 14 million people could lose health coverage.

Is FREE Electricity in our Future?

Electricity should be a right, free to all.  Yet, for-profit energy companies set prices to maximize profits to shareholders, even when users can’t afford the prices and suffer shutoffs.

Let’s Rein in U.S. Military Spending Before it Destroys Us

Excessive military spending has bankrupted the country and eaten up money we need for human needs. What's more, the billionaires' reliance on war as a foreign policy instrument threatens to destroy the world.

More from the People's Tribune