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Flint switched water supplies then failed to properly treat the new one. Severe budget constraints would have had them staying with the already not-poisonous su

Flint switched water supplies then failed to properly treat the new one. Severe budget constraints would have had them staying with the already not-poisonous supply.

shadowgovt 5y ago
In general, it would have... Except in this case, a larger municipality more or less bought out Flint's stake in the old water supply. Flint didn't have the money to not get the old supply turned away from them.
- rbanffy 5y ago
  I just love the way markets self regulate.
- WarOnPrivacy 5y ago
  Appreciate the additional info.
- 8note 5y ago
  That still sounds like somebody went on a liberty binge. Why are towns competing for clean water sources by how much they can pay to a provider?
  - shadowgovt 5y ago
    Because in the United States, in absence of law forcing a different arrangement, we can assume that this problem is solved by a capitalist marketplace. I don't know enough about Michigan state law to comment in detail on this topic. I can only extrapolate from the local situation where I live, where our water is provided by a corporation, that corporation works to minimize its costs to maximize its revenue (within a safety framework established by the state), but the corporation is private. It maintains its own reservoirs, and I don't doubt a price point could be found where, if they were willing to pay, it would sell the water from the city down into neighboring towns, possibly to a level that decreases the odds that can satisfy demand in-city during a drought. This is the scenario I would anticipate unless there is law to the contrary.
    - maxerickson 5y ago
      Old supplier was City of Detroit (Lake Huron/Detroit River water), new supplier was themselves (Flint River water), eventual supplier was regional municipal corporation (Karegnondi Water Authority, Lake Huron water). Detroit cut off the water, seemingly out of pettiness, with a year of warning. They did that after offering lower rate though.
      - WarOnPrivacy 5y ago
        Thank you for adding that.

Flint switched water supplies then failed to properly treat the new one. Severe budget constraints would have had them staying with the already not-poisonous supply.

shadowgovt 5y ago

In general, it would have... Except in this case, a larger municipality more or less bought out Flint's stake in the old water supply. Flint didn't have the money to not get the old supply turned away from them.

rbanffy 5y ago
I just love the way markets self regulate.
WarOnPrivacy 5y ago
Appreciate the additional info.
8note 5y ago
That still sounds like somebody went on a liberty binge. Why are towns competing for clean water sources by how much they can pay to a provider?
- shadowgovt 5y ago
  Because in the United States, in absence of law forcing a different arrangement, we can assume that this problem is solved by a capitalist marketplace. I don't know enough about Michigan state law to comment in detail on this topic. I can only extrapolate from the local situation where I live, where our water is provided by a corporation, that corporation works to minimize its costs to maximize its revenue (within a safety framework established by the state), but the corporation is private. It maintains its own reservoirs, and I don't doubt a price point could be found where, if they were willing to pay, it would sell the water from the city down into neighboring towns, possibly to a level that decreases the odds that can satisfy demand in-city during a drought. This is the scenario I would anticipate unless there is law to the contrary.
  - maxerickson 5y ago
    Old supplier was City of Detroit (Lake Huron/Detroit River water), new supplier was themselves (Flint River water), eventual supplier was regional municipal corporation (Karegnondi Water Authority, Lake Huron water). Detroit cut off the water, seemingly out of pettiness, with a year of warning. They did that after offering lower rate though.
    - WarOnPrivacy 5y ago
      Thank you for adding that.