Nonetheless, state environmental
officials downplayed residents» complaints and vehemently disputed local studies that found a link between elevated blood - lead
levels among children and the water source switch, until, in October, Snyder conceded the situation had become a «
public safety issue» and announced a $ 12m plan to transfer Flint back to its previous supply with the city of Detroit.
Federal prosecutors in Manhattan are conducting a sweeping investigation of environmental health and
safety conditions, including cases of elevated blood lead
levels, in
public housing and homeless shelters and the possibility that the New York City housing and homeless agencies filed false claims to federal housing
officials for payment related to the conditions.