By Zachary Gorchow
Executive Editor and Publisher
Posted: March 7, 2017 12:29 PM

It’s not a substitute for talking to living, breathing Flint residents face-to-face about how the city’s water crisis has affected them, but the exhibit calling attention to the crisis at Michigan State University’s Broad Art Museum serves as a gut-punch reminder of all Flint’s residents have had to endure in the last three years.

On display until April 23, “Beyond Streaming: A Sound Mural for Flint” is haunting.

It consists of copper pipes running from the floor to the ceiling with a series of spigots. Turning the faucet for each spigot triggers the voice of a Flint resident, emanating from the spigot, describing what they have had to experience, their pleas to officials or frustrations with the government, among other messages.

The Flint water crisis is not a national story like it was at this time a year ago. And even in Michigan, it’s not generating the daily news like it did then. But it is still monumentally important, even as lead levels recede.

There’s still a criminal investigation underway. There’s still an enormous number of civil lawsuits taking place. There’s still the question of if and when the city will switch away from the Detroit system to a new pipeline. There’s still residents in need of monitoring and care after having been exposed for more than a year to lead-tainted water.

There’s still been virtually no policy changes in the state in response to all the decisions and errors that precipitated the crisis. There’s still a long, long, long way to go to replace the city’s lead service lines.

And, oh yeah, Flint residents still can’t drink their water without a filter.

If you feel numb to Flint water crisis news after the past year and a half, go to the Broad. See the exhibit. Listen to those voices. It’s a vital reminder of all that happened and all that is still to come.