Snyder Fires Former Head Of DEQ Drinking Water Unit
LANSING (WWJ) - After a departmental review of the Flint water crisis, Gov. Rick Snyder has announced that a former Department of Environmental Quality supervisor has been terminated from state employment.
The ex-head of the DEQ's Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance unit was dismissed on Friday after a disciplinary conference regarding performance, according to a release from the governor's office.
"Putting the well-being of Michiganders first needs to be the top priority for all state employees," Snyder said, in a statement Friday. "Anything less than that is unacceptable. The DEQ is working to change this culture and ensure mistakes that endanger our residents don't occur again."
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Meantime, a review of a second employee who was suspended last month is ongoing.
Flint's water is currently undrinkable after it became contaminated when the city switched from the Detroit water system to the Flint River as a cost-cutting move. The corrosive water lacked adequate treatment and caused lead to leach from old pipes.
The city has since reconnected to Detroit water, but problems with lead are ongoing.