If you’re interested in sharing your opinion on any cultural, political or personal topic, create an account here and check out our how-to post to learn more. Opinions are the writer’s own and not those of Blavity's. ____ A small Black community in Michigan discovers high levels of lead in their water after the state hired an emergency manager to oversee the town and cut costs. Does this sound familiar? No, I’m not talking about Flint. Benton Harbor, Michigan, is a Black community just a few hours west of Flint, where the water system has exceeded the state’s lead action levels six straight times in the last three years, more than any other city in Michigan. Recent tests found lead levels with results as high as nearly 60 times federal standards. There is no safe level of lead. Right now, state officials should be supplying emergency drinking water to Benton Harbor residents while also implementing a plan to remove all of Benton Harbor’s 6,000 lead service lines within 12...
