A creative solution for the water crisis in Flint, Michigan | LaToya Ruby Frazier

Artist and TED Fellow LaToya Ruby Frazier spent five months living in Flint, Michigan, documenting the lives of those affected by the city's water crisis for her photo essay "Flint is Family." As the crisis dragged on, she realized it was going to take more than a series of photos to bring relief. In this inspiring, surprising talk, she shares the creative lengths she went to in order to bring free, clean water to the people of Flint.

[allenesoracco]

Hello from Flint Michigan 😀 this is only part of the problem. People are very sick here and most are poor AF. Most don't have a car or can't afford insurance for car and no way to get such heavy water home. Nobody seems to care that people can't get to it or get it home. Plus we're FORCED to pay for the poisonous water even if you have water turned off!! Every home is charged almost 50 dollars per month for sewer even if you've been shut off. If you don't pay this extortion fee they take your property!! Plus the pipes in my house are on my tab apparently. The corrosion is awful and I have no money to fix my shower which I can't use now. Filters don't seem to be very good as animals drinking it are having seizures. Its alot more than just putting a building somewhere that gives water...we need access to it!!! We need help with repairs..we need help.

[MurdocsMinion]

I was living a couple hours from Flint when the water crisis started. It's hard to believe that this is still going on. I don't have much faith in the government, but I thought that this would be something that would be taken care of sooner than this. I remember people driving two hours, buying hundreds of dollars in water at the Wal-Mart I worked at, because closer stores were out of water. I remember the people who could *afford* to move did so quickly, or quickly ran out of money to do so. We had a lot of people move to Midland from Flint. There were a lot of people with their whole lives on their back when I flew out of the Flint airport to leave the state.

To think I've been through so many major life events, and Flint is still suffering is ridiculous. How could anyone blame the people of Flint, when they didn't ask for this, and can't afford to run away? When this is their home? Access to clean water is a basic right.

[tjtampa]

I've been wondering why this issue fell off the radar when we first heard a few stories about it 5 years ago. Thank you for what you've done. It is a shame and it is hard to watch our world go down like this.

[alexanderEgusi]

👑 Thank you for everyone involved for Flint, Michigan

[SuperAtheist]

the biggest problem w/ Flint's water is an incompetent government.

[metaspherz]

I was born and raised in Flint. I know first hand how bad the water situation was and still is. Five years ago, 2014, after the water source changed from the Detroit pipeline to the Flint River, I was using a Britta water filter on my faucet and my fridge had a PUR filter for water and ice dispensing too. The city of Flint sent out several water safety letters assuring residents that the water quality met Federal safety standards. Shortly thereafter brown sludge began coming out of our faucets. We were told not to drink the water -- DUH! My water filters got clogged and I had to replace them. Filters are not cheap! And after we were told that the water was safe again my water filters continued to get clogged with sediment. I bought a Britta filter jug but it didn't do any good because the water still tasted weird. Soon thereafter Flint residents started to get free water filters and cases of water distributed in their neighborhoods, at churches, Fire stations, and in large parking lots where semi-trailers could be parked. Meanwhile, contractors began to replace old lead pipes and install new water meters.


Now, 5 years later free water is still being dispensed from donations from generous people and organizations since the state doesn't finance the water distribution anymore. Nor does it condone the free water. In fact, the new governor practically insists that Flint city residents are overreacting since the water is now safe to drink since most of the lead pipes had been replaced and the water supply changed. I heard that somebody challenged the Governor to drink the water but she declined by calling it a political stunt. If the governor won't drink the water, why should the people? To this day I don't know of any government official that will publically drink a glass of unfiltered Flint water. Would you? I wouldn't feed my dog or cat unfiltered water! How's that for a reality check on the current water situation?

[ayman-hosny]

Into Arabic, I've translated this video for Arabian audience, and I wish to be useful for all of them, especially those have no longer an easy way to get water across the Arabic world and the whole world. Thank you TED.

But, As I'm someone from a developing country, I've almost shocked by what the photojournalist has shown -- in the United States of America, there are people don't have an access to clean water!

[metaspherz]

The above video mentions the Atmospheric Water Generator but didn't say anything about how it had been vandalized by persons unknown:


"FLINT, Mich., Tuesday, August 13th, 2019 - An Atmospheric Water Generator brought to Flint from Texas by Moses West was vandalized Tuesday.


The atmospheric water machine filters and produces clean drinking water as fast as it is emptied into jugs and other containers.


This eliminates the wait for new clean water to filter through.


West says that the vandals damaged repairable things.


"They let out the coolant, changed the frequency on an inverter, they damaged the onboard generator and so we are using external generators right now, " West said.
For safety precautions, 500 plus gallons of water had to be unloaded from the machine.

West said the machine has provided clean drinking water to hundreds of people.


Flint residents came out to help West repair the machine that gives the city water for free.


While you would think the damage to the machine would upset West, he says it's just a new challenge.


"Nothing frustrates me. It's only an opportunity to do better. No problems, only opportunities." West said.


West does not accept money, he encourages people to donate to The Water Rescue Foundation."
And, in a TV interview West asserted that the vandals were very knowledgable and knew exactly what to do to cause the most damage. He also decided to raise the Atmospheric Water Generator on a tall stack of cement blocks to make future vandalism more difficult. The man deserves a medal for his efforts!

[Evensong_Conductor]

I loved her final line and the whole structure of her talk. Pretty cool :D

[sithembisokhumalo]

Thank you for inspiration and good works.
My people in Hamanskraal, South Africa needed to hear this

[xm]

And trump says other countries are a shithole... never thought this was possible in America...

[yourfavoriteoompaloompa]

A solution!! Not the cure but a SOLUTION THANK GOD THANK GOD THANK This is a blessing. Something the government could’ve supported and choose not too. We have to bring help to each other! Glory be to God, Almighty.

[MattRoszak]

But how are we gonna pay for it?!




*throws money into the military money-hole*

[Jackie-mdzs]

All The underground pipework in america is the same that was used in flint. The difference is that with new building projects and developments these pipes are usually replaced and brought up to code over time. So in these once flourishing industrial factory cities back east like areas of Chicago, ohio etc where mass amounts of people suddenly left...I hope the local govt isn't dropping the ball with them also 😳😪 cannot believe this is still happening while we waste tax dollars on foolish things like a 5 billion dollar funding to the national endowment for the arts agency. 🤦‍♀️ so

[machgtx]

It's criminally astonishing that the Governor, state and local officials who were responsible for this calamity and injustice to its citizens, have not gone right to damn jail. It's totally disgusting that the Federal government can look on and also do nothing to fix the problems. It's racism and disrespect for the poor as well, as was perpetrated upon the good people of New Orleans and the surrounding area after the major hurricane hit there. The people in charge there are pure evil and psychopaths who don't care about anything except themselves, profit and power. That's what is wrong with the government of the US as well. We need a President and Congress that respects its citizens and will serve and protect as bound by law and common human decency.

[Memento_Mori_Music]

Take some of the $783 billion defense budget.

The US has enough money to fight pointless wars in foreign countries but apparently helping their own middle and lower class out isn't as important.

[alexanderEgusi]

The machine produces 2, 000 gallons of water per day, free of charge. 🙏🏾

[theMaRiLyNMaRtInI]

If I lived there, I would do whatever I can to move out

[Airic]

got me teary eyed !! lol why are we all not demanding Moses West's invention in every home/community across america ??!!?!?! WHY ARE WE NOT DEMANDING ??? there's NO REASON for us to EVER pay for water again !!

[kellyberry]

Thank you for caring and letting us know this. God bless you and all the people of Flint!!!