A group of 25 researchers from Blacksburg traveled to Michigan several times to analyze the tap water and then worked to make their findings public after
they were ignored by government agencies.
The work has resulted in national attention on water infrastructure, a state of emergency, criminal investigations, public official resignations and a switch back to an old water system.
Flint’s water had been contaminated with lead since 2014, when the city began getting its water from the Flint River as a cost-cutting measure. The water was then not properly treated to prevent lead in aging pipes from running through residents’ taps.