Michigan leaders and activists hold press conference to express frustrations with contaminated water
OSCODA, Mich. — PFAS is still lingering in the water of Oscoda residents. They’ve asked for solutions to the contamination for years. Now communities across Michigan are fed up and demanding a change.
Representatives from Grayling, Flint, and other Michigan communities have expressed their frustrations at a press conference held Wednesday afternoon to address the contaminants in their water. They say it’s been a problem for way too long. Tony Spaniola, a member of community action group Need Our Water (NOW) is among those fed up with how long it’s taking for the problem to be fixed.
“The Air Force is dragging it’s feet here in Oscoda. It’s still supposedly doing investigations and studies and we believe they’ve been doing this for nine years, they’ve had plenty of time, that there’s plenty of information and they need to get down to business.”
Residents are tired of waiting for answers, and their families are already feeling the effects of the harmful chemicals. Flint activitist Arthur Woodson says he’s already seen multiple sicknesses in his family, he doesn’t doubt that chemicals in the water could be the cause.
“The biggest problem is some of these things doesn’t take effect health-wise until like 70 years sometimes, 30 years, 20 years. It depends on how much contamination is there.”
For many residents, there’s no way around the problem.
“My family’s home here on Van Etten Lake, we’ve been told that it’s not safe to drink the water from our well.”
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy will meet with Oscoda residents Friday to inform them on future plans.
