One of the biggest consequences of the water crisis in Flint is the lead poisoning that has caused health concerns for thousands of people who have been drinking the corrosive water.

Lead poisoning is irreversible. It is a well-known neurotoxin that can cause hair loss, vomiting and developmental problems when ingested. Worst of all, its effects are especially potent for children.

In general, childhood lead exposure is estimated to contribute to about 600 000 new cases of children developing intellectual disabilities every year.

On January 18, the United Way of Genesee County estimated 6,000–12,000 children have been exposed to lead poisoning. Because their brain’s are still developing, lead poisoning can lead to severe mental impairment for children. Examples of these effects include behavioral problems, lower IQs, poor grades in school, problems with hearing, learning difficulties (both short and long term), and growth delays.

According to studies, adults who presented with elevated lead levels in their blood during childhood are more likely to commit crimes, be imprisoned, be unemployed or underemployed, or be dependent on government services.

A 2014 study by researchers at Risk Science Center at the University of Michigan, completed before the Flint water crisis came to light, estimated the annual cost of childhood lead exposure in Michigan at $330 million, with costs covering health procedures and tests, special education programs and needs, and also criminal justice system expenditures.

Because the developmental effects of lead exposure appear over a series of years,the total long-term cost of the Flint water crisis will not be apparent in the short term. However, the overall costs are expected to be high.

The only known treatment plans for lead poisoning are chelation therapy and EDTA therapy. The treatments involve taking medications that bind with the lead so that it's excreted in your urine.

These medications are not without risk, and are also not effective for those who have high doses of lead poisoning in their systems already, but only for those who have caught it in their system early on. The costs of these health care options are too high for many of the people in Flint that could possibly benefit from it.

It is for this reason that we hope our petition can bring further aid and healthcare to those in Flint who need it but may not have access to it on their own. We hope that blood testing for lead poisoning will be provided, as well as funds to cover the costs of health care bills that many impacted by lead poisoning will surely end up with.