FOCUS. THE LATEST. >> Reporter: MELISSA MAYS SAYS THE OMINOUS CHANGE IN THE WATER WAS PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE AT BATH TIME.
>> IT'S A YELLOW AND FOAM AND WOULD SMELL LIKE OPEN SEWER AND WE'RE TOLD WE'RE GETTING USED TO THE NEW SYSTEM, IT'S SAFE, IT'S OKAY. >> Reporter: IT WASN'T OKAY. FAR FROM IT.
FINGE FLINT'S TAP WATER WAS LACED WITH LEAD. THE STATE KNEW ABOUT IT AND DID NOTHING. THE TROUBLE BEGAN TWO YEARS AGO WHEN THE STATE DECIDED TO SWITCH FLINT FROM DETROIT'S DRINKING WATER TO A NEW SYSTEM BUT THE NEW SYSTEM WOULDN'T BE READY FOR TWO YEARS.
IN THE MEANTIME TO SAVE MONEY, THEY SWITCHED TO THE FLINT RIVER WATER. >> THREE, TWO, ONE. >> Reporter: THAT FIRST DECISION TURNED OUT TO BE A MISTAKE.
AS DID NEARLY EVERY STEP THE STATE TOOK AFTER IT. MICHIGAN'S DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY SHOULDERS MUCH OF THE BLAME WHAT A PRELIM NARCOTICTY TASK FORCE REPORTS A PUBLIC RESPONSE. AT THE TIME THE STATE AGENCY TOLD FLINT IT DIDN'T HAVE TO ADD AN ANTI CORROSIVE AGENT UNTIL TWO SIX-MONTH MONITORING PERIODS HAD BEEN CONDUCTED.
IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WERE WILLING TO WAIT A YEAR TO SEE WHETHER THE WATER WAS SAFE. ALL THE WHILE, HIGHLY CORROSIVE RIVER WATER FLOWED THROUGH THE CITY'S LEAD PIPES LEECHING LEAD AND OTHER DANGEROUS METALS INTO THE WATER SUPPLY AND WHAT CAME OUT OF THE TAP IN MANY HOMES WAS TOXIC. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY RESIDENTS STARTED COMPLAINING.
THEIR WATER WAS BROWN. SOME PEOPLE DEVELOPED RASHES, BECAME SICK. EARLY TEST REVEALED FECAL BACTERIA SO THE CITY AND STATE OFFICIALS ADDED CHLORINE TO THE WATER SUPPLY AND TOLD PEOPLE TO BOIL THEIR WATER.
BOTH MISTAKES WHICH CAN ACTUALLY INCREASE THE LEVEL OF LEAD. >> I BUILT THIS PLACE WITH MY TAX MONEY. >> Reporter: AT CITY MEETINGS RESIDENTS WERE REPEATEDLY TOLD THE WATER WAS SAFE.
>> WE FOUND THE WORSE LEAD WATER CONTAMINATION I'VE SEEN IN 25 YEARS AND BELIEVE ME, I'VE SEEN A LOT. >> Reporter: RESIDENTS DIDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT THE LEAD UNTIL THIS MAN STEPPED IN. MARK EDWARDS IS A VIRGINIA TECH RESEARCHER WHO TESTED THE WATER EARLY LAST YEAR.
>> IT WAS VERY SCARY TO SEE THE LEVELS OF LEAD THAT WERE HAZARDOUS WASTE COMING OUT OF HER TAP WATER. >> Reporter: THAT'S RIGHT. THE LEAD LEVELS IN ONE HOME WERE SO HIGH WATER FROM THE TAP COULD BE CONSIDERED HAZARDOUS WASTE.
HIS TESTING LED TO THIS EPA MEMO, AN INTERIM REPORT LEAKED LAST SUMMER THAT SAID THE HIGH LEVELS OF LEAD IN THE WATER WERE ESPECIALLY ALARMING BECAUSE THE STATE'S WATER TESTING WAS FLAWED, SO THE TRUE LEAD LEVELS WERE PROBABLY MUCH HIGHER. >> WE WERE JUST WAITING FOR THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES TO HELP FLINT RESIDENTS TO ENFORCE FEDERAL LAW. >> Reporter: WHEN FLINT'S FORMER MAYOR ASKED THE EPA FOR MORE INFORMATION, HE WAS SHUT DOWN AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS E-MAIL EXCHANGED BY CNN.
THE EPA REGIONAL DIRECTOR WRITES THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT REPORT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RELEASED OUTSIDE THE AGENCY, AND THAT ONLY WHEN THE REPORT IS REVISED AND FULLY VETTED WILL IT BE SHARED WITH THE CITY. BUT THAT WOULDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL MONTHS LATER. MEANWHILE, FAMILIES WERE STILL DRINKING WATER POISONED WITH LEAD.
THE EPA BLAMES THE STATE SAYING IN A STATEMENT TO CNN WHAT HAPPEN IN FLINT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED AND THAT THE EPA'S ABILITY TO OVERSEE WAS IMPACTED BY FAILURES AND RESISTANCE AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS. THE STATE WAS CONTINUING WITH ITS OWN MISTAKES, ACCORDING TO MARK EDWARDS, BUTCHERING AROUND A WATER TESTING. THEY NOT ONLY TESTED THE WRONG HOMES, BUT ALTERED THE REPORTS ELIMINATING TESTS FROM TWO HOMES THAT WOULD HAVE SHOWN TOXIC LEVELS OF LEAD.
THE STATE SAYS THE CHANGES WERE LEGITIMATE. >> THEY FABRICATED A REPORT THAT MADE IT APPEAR LIKE FLINT WAS PASSING THE LEAD AND COPPER WITH FLYING COLORS. >> Reporter: IN THE FALL, THE GOVERNMENT ADMITTED THERE WAS LEAD IN THE WATER AND FLINT WAS SWITCHED BACK TO DETROIT'S WATER SUPPLY.
