Governor Rick Snyder is providing the city of Flint, Michigan, with bottled water and other supplies four days after declaring a state of emergency in the city, according to an announcement by Snyder’s office on Saturday.
The governor’s officer said in a statement that it partnered with local officials to provide bottled water, filters and testing kits at five fire stations around the city, NBC News reported.
The news came as local organizations and out-of-state donors worked to provide drinking water, as residents criticized the governor for declaring a state of emergency without backing it up.
The crisis in Flint began nearly two years ago, when the city switched its water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River. The new supply corroded water pipes, with lead leaking into the system. The city switched back, but lead levels remained high in water supplies, leaving groups like children at risk.
