Thirsty for Justice: How the Flint Water Crisis Highlights the Insufficiency of the Citizen Suit Provision of the Safe Drinking Water Act

Authors

• Erin M. Hodgson

Abstract

In 1974, the Safe Drinking Water Act was enacted in order to protect the quality of drinking water in the United States. Like many pieces of environmental legislation at the time, it included a citizen suit provision, an avenue by which ordinary citizens could seek to ensure compliance with the Act and safeguard their ability to access safe drinking water. Yet despite the Act and its citizen suit provision, the Flint Michigan Water Crisis occurred.

This note explores how the crisis transpired, considers notions of environmental justice, and identifies opportunities within the Act to create more significant and effective citizen suits.

Recommended Citation

Erin M. Hodgson, Thirsty for Justice: How the Flint Water Crisis Highlights the Insufficiency of the Citizen Suit Provision of the Safe Drinking Water Act, 44 S. Ill. U. L.J. 347 (2020).
Available at: https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/siulj/vol44/iss2/7