Leanne Walters' Flint Water Crisis

Leanne Walters discovered that the city of Flint had not implemented a corrosion control plan. Most cities avoid corroding pipes by treating their water with corrosion-inhibiting chemicals such as orthophosphate. When these chemicals are not present, the corrosivity of the water begins eating away at that mineral crust and eventually at the lead beneath it. On June 24, 2015, Miguel Del Toro at the EPA learned about the lack of corrosion control plan and the alarmingly high levels of lead in Leanne Walters home. He immediately sent out an internal memo to his superiors at the agency expressing his concerns. The EPA, whose regional administrator in the area was Susan Hedman, never made a move.