Governor to Flint: I Blew It, 'I'll Fix It'

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder admits he lost the public's trust in failing to respond quickly to concerns about Flint's drinking water. "I'm sorry I let you down," he said during his State of the State address on Tuesday. "Your families face a crisis—a crisis you did not create and could not have prevented," he added, per ABC News. "I'm sorry, and I will fix it." Almost two years after corrosive drinking water from the Flint River was contaminated with lead in April 2014, Snyder says he's asking legislators for $28 million to replace water supply pipes in Flint's schools, daycares, and hospitals; treat children with high lead levels; conduct environmental assessments; and more, per CNN. However, Flint Mayor Karen Weaver says the costs to fix the water issues and address health concerns could reach $1.5 billion.

"We will provide resources to help anyone and everyone [affected]," Snyder said, noting he takes "full responsibility" for fixing this "catastrophe." He also vowed to release all of his emails relating to Flint from 2014 and 2015. Though some residents claim the state ignored the water issues for months, "we took action … as soon as I became aware of elevated lead levels in blood" on Oct. 1, 2015, Snyder told Time last week, noting bottled water, water filters, and water testing kits were handed out. Snyder lays blame on the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, which told residents the water was safe to drink, though some homes showed toxic lead levels. The department admitted it didn't get the necessary chemicals to treat the corrosive water. Residents have now filed three lawsuits at the federal, state, and municipal levels. (More Flint, Michigan stories.)