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Tesla CEO Elon Musk vows to 'fix' tainted water in Flint, Michigan

25 points| prostoalex | 7 years ago |usatoday.com | reply

45 comments

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[+] vadym909|7 years ago|reply
While I appreciate the IronMan'esque eagerness to solve every problem the world is facing, I think he should be focusing on getting us the $35K Model 3 promised a while ago.
[+] colordrops|7 years ago|reply
Do you really think him tweeting something and having an assistant hire some private contractors with his personal money is affecting model 3 production rates?
[+] danial|7 years ago|reply
I disagree that he shouldn’t do all of it (which is what I think you’re implying). I think more people should push the boundaries of what’s possible to show the rest of us what humanity is capable of. It’s inspiring to watch someone who is sometimes flawed, sometimes brilliant, human-like-us, build teams and inspire them to greatness. His ambition shows the rest of us what we are capable of. It doesn’t matter if he fails in one or more of these endeavors. I think it’s more important that he sets a higher bar for the rest of us.

Edit: s/hat/that/

[+] ModernMech|7 years ago|reply
Why can't we just tax people and let the government fix stuff like this? Isn't that how its supposed to work? What was wrong with that idea?
[+] smt88|7 years ago|reply
That works really well in most of the US. It failed in Flint for many reasons, including corruption and the fact that poor people are not given as much consideration in a money-soaked political system.
[+] grecy|7 years ago|reply
It works everywhere else in the Developed world, but for some reason the USA doesn't function like other functioning countries.
[+] gowld|7 years ago|reply
That idea didn't work. Practice trumps theory.
[+] bmiller2|7 years ago|reply
Can't pay for trivial things like water when we have 5+ generations of pensions to fund
[+] withdavidli|7 years ago|reply
The money gets taxed, but money goes elsewhere and the problem never fixed or it’s almost always over budget.

But yes. It’s suppose to work the way you described. Abuse and incompetence gets in the way.

[+] mgoetzke|7 years ago|reply
Rich people did not like it.
[+] lafar6502|7 years ago|reply
maybe they need some time to analyze the problem and find solution within the budget. and also think about the future cost of maintenance. Exactly where is the superhero necessary?
[+] dev_dull|7 years ago|reply
My understanding was that the water isn't actually contaminated, but that they aren't treating it with something that prevents lead from being released in all of the piping. Can someone comment on this?

If that's the case, then really the only thing you can do is put some kind of filter directly on the line to the house.

[+] maxerickson|7 years ago|reply
Yeah, it was the PH of the source water that Flint switched to that triggered the issues, it dissolved the coating that develops on the inside of pipes (scale).

The city switched back to Detroit water in 2015 (and has since signed a 30 year contract with the succeeding entity that now runs that system) and the state is moving towards requiring eventual replacement of all lead service lines¹.

1. https://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/deq-tou-dwmad-LeadCop...

[+] dismantlethesun|7 years ago|reply
You could lay all the pipes again, or treat the water to keep lead from being released.
[+] RickJWagner|7 years ago|reply
Hmmm, why now?

Shouldn't he be fixing Model 3 production problems?

[+] echlebek|7 years ago|reply
If it takes a private corporation to fix the contaminated water problem in Flint, it's an utter disgrace and a pathetic failing of federal, state and municipal government. It's hard to understand how such abject failure can be allowed to continue.
[+] smt88|7 years ago|reply
In the article, Musk says most houses in Flint have safe water. He doesn't propose a corporation fixing the water as an alternative to government, but rather using his own money to buy whole-home filters for the (according to him) small minority of families whose water still isn't considered safe.
[+] maxerickson|7 years ago|reply
He's only offered to fix the lines for houses that test above the Federal limit.

There's 14,000 houses with lead service lines, there's very few that are testing above the Federal limit.

A quiet grant to accelerate the plans to replace all the lead service lines would accomplish more than offering to fix a small number of the worst ones. Those houses will likely be first in line for replacement by government programs.

[+] exotree|7 years ago|reply
A lot of people would consider this a positive and obvious outcome. (For the record, I do not.)
[+] colordrops|7 years ago|reply
Seems like a private individual rather than a corporation. But your point still stands.
[+] 67_45|7 years ago|reply
The endless debate about this man undertaking various projects that will improve society if they pan out is absolutely vapid. This doesn't belong here.
[+] mistermann|7 years ago|reply
Vapid: offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging

I disagree. If anything, closed minded defeatist attitudes don't belong here.