Memphis, FedEx Team Up To Donate Water To Flint
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Memphis' water utility company, FedEx and city government are donating 12,000 bottles of water to residents of Flint, Michigan, where drinking water has been contaminated by lead.
City officials said Tuesday that the water, which is bottled in Memphis, will be sent by FedEx to the Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, a designated collection site.
Flint switched from Detroit's water system in 2014 while under state emergency management and began drawing from the Flint River to save money.
But the water wasn't properly treated for corrosion, and lead began leaching from aging pipes into the drinking water.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland says the donation effort started after Bernal Smith, owner and publisher of the Tri-State Defender newspaper, called the city to ask if something could be done to help Flint.
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