Flint: Corporate Giants Step In For Utilities

Amid a crisis that critics see as a failure of government, corporate giants have swept into Flint, MI, to help alleviate the tap-water debacle.

“A coalition of some of America’s biggest companies is organizing a trucklift for Flint, promising to deliver 6.5 million bottles of water to the city in order to provide clean drinking water for schoolchildren through 2016. Walmart, Coca-Cola, Nestlé, and PepsiCo say they will deliver 6.5 million bottles to Flint, enough for the city’s 10,000 students,” The Atlantic reported.

Critics are welcoming the assistance while also questioning the long-term effects of such a dynamic.

“That these firms are stepping up to deliver water is good news for Flint’s schools and citizens in the immediate term. But a one-time infusion of gallons of fresh water doesn’t do much to address the systemic failures of government that led to the water crisis in the first place. By making four for-profit corporations into a de facto public utility, the gift might actually risk making things worse in the long run,” the report said.

Some critics said the arrival of Walmart water highlights the failure of government in Flint. Gizmodo called it a sign of “dystopia.”

“When Walmart, Coca Cola, and Nestlé are the only ones stepping up and offering alternatives, the future looks pretty grim,” the post said.

Residents, however, are eager for support.

“We are grateful for Walmart and their suppliers’ support during this crisis,” Bilal Tawwab, Flint Community Schools superintendent, said in a statement. “With their generous support, district students will have access to clean drinking water, and more importantly, the ability to focus on their education.”

Walmart issued a press release announcing the assistance.

“At Walmart, we take pride in using our strengths to help communities like Flint during times of crisis, as we’ve done around the world in times of need,” said Dan Bartlett, Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Walmart. “We’re working to ensure that the children of Flint, the city’s most vulnerable citizens, have access to safe water.”

To keep up with Flint’s water issues, visit Water Online’s Drinking Water Contaminant Removal Solutions Center.