Michigan water activist, 6 others win environmental prize

The Goldman Environmental Foundation announced the winners of the annual award Monday.

FLINT, Mich. — A woman who played a key role in exposing the lead-tainted water disaster in Flint, Michigan, is among seven people from around the world to be awarded a Goldman Environmental Prize for grassroots environmental activism.

The Goldman Environmental Foundation announced the winners of the annual award on Monday. The other six winners aside from LeeAnne Walters are Francia Marquez of Colombia; Claire Nouvian of France; Makoma Lekalakala and Liz McDaid of South Africa; Manny Calonzo of the Philippines; and Khanh Nguy Thi of Vietnam.

Walters was repeatedly rebuffed by Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration, despite confronting regulators with bottles of brown water from her kitchen tap. With the help of a Virginia Tech research team and local doctor, it was revealed in 2015 that Flint’s water system was contaminated with lead.

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