Sarah
This is just a wonderful and fascinating example. I would consider policies to delivery clean and safe water to homes as a core public health policy, although not within the traditional purview of health services.
I really wonder if we need more evidence on the many toxic effects of lead, even on the question of differential effects in vulnerable populations. We have a lot of compelling evidence on the physical and cognitive effects of lead exposure, and we know that exposure is differential by race and SES. Perhaps the most urgent question is what created the tremendous failure of governance that led to exposing Flint residents to this public health disaster and persisting in the horrible policy for many months after initial reports.
If you are interested in the effects of lead exposure, Flint offers a potential natural experiment.