Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan is hoping to win back the trust of citizens by drinking Flint water for 30 days.
In a message posted to Facebook Snyder wrote, “Earlier today, I visited Cheryl – a #Flint resident – at her home in the city, and spoke with her about her water use and the use of filters. I also drank filtered water with her and collected filtered Flint water to personally drink at work and at home. I completely understand why some Flint residents are hesitant to drink the water and I am hopeful I can alleviate some of the skepticism and mistrust by putting words to action. #FlintFWD“
But Vox has pointed out that scientifically, Snyder vowing to drink water from Flint isn’t all that great. Lead poisoning would really only greatly effect children, the elderly, and pregnant women, “if you have to be drinking water that’s potentially laced with lead, you’re least likely to suffer damage if you are, like Snyder, a middle-aged man. Lead in water is particularly harmful to children, whose brains are still developing; to pregnant women; and to the elderly.” The worst that could happen to Snyder is a low libido, forgetfulness, and fatigue, but only after copious amounts are consumed.
So, while the water in Flint is getting better, Snyder isn’t proving anything by drinking it.
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