When a state-appointed, unelected emergency manager changed the water source for the city of Flint, Michigan, in 2014 to the highly corrosive Flint River in an ill-conceived attempt to save money, lead from the city’s aging pipes began leaching into the water supply. The contamination persisted for at least 18 months before the government acknowledged the crisis.

Even as local leaders continually assured residents that the water was safe to drink, General Motors removed its plant from the Flint water supply because the tainted water was corroding engine parts. It was also corroding Flint’s lead-based plumbing, and lead, a potent neurotoxin, funneled into homes and schools.