Blood Lead Levels Among Children Aged <6 Years - Flint, Michigan, 2013-2016

During Apr 25, 2014-Oct 15, 2015, approximately 99,000 residents of Flint, Michigan, were affected by changes in drinking water quality after their water source was switched from the Detroit Water Authority (DWA), sourced from Lake Huron, to the Flint Water System (FWS), sourced from the Flint River. Because corrosion control was not used at the FWS water treatment plant, the levels of lead in Flint tap water increased over time. Adverse health effects are associated with lead exposure. On Jan 2, 2015, a water advisory was issued because of detection of high levels of trihalomethanes, byproducts of disinfectants. Age was defined as age at the time of the test. Children were excluded once they reached age 6 years. The two race categories examined were black or African American and white, the most frequently recorded races. If a child's race was missing in the database, race was recorded as other/unknown .