Covered water fountains below a public health advisory on a wall at the state office building, Flint, Michigan, USA. A drinking water crisis in the city of Flint started in April 2014 when the water supply became contaminated with lead after the supply was switched to water from the Flint River. This was more corrosive than the previous water supply (from Lake Huron and the Detroit River), and it leached lead from old water pipes. Elevated levels of lead in the blood caused health problems in thousands of children. A public health state of emergency was declared and the original water supply restored in October 2015. Photographed on 18 February 2016.