"Judge lets lawsuit against Flint's engineering firms proceed to trial", 7 Feb 2022

A federal judge ruled [on 7 February 2022] that the professional negligence suit brought by four unnamed children in Flint against several engineering firms that consulted the city before the water crisis may continue to trial and will begin jury selection next week.

[The Judge] decided to let the trial case proceed on the issue of whether [engineering firms] Lockwood, Andrews and Newnam negligently and incorrectly told Flint officials that the city's water treatment plant could be timely refurbished and negligently failed to warn Flint of the consequences of its decision not to use orthophosphates after it had decided not to use appropriate corrosion controls.

The suit alleges that the children, now aged between 10 and 12, have suffered neurocognitive health effects.

Stern said he looks forward to moving forward with a case involving the "private entities" that haven't received the same attention as cases involving high-ranking former state and city officials. This trial will not allow the engineering firms to "fly under the radar," he added.

VNA was hired in 2014 to conduct a systemwide evaluation of Flint's water operations, with an eye toward making the Detroit Water and Sewage Department more cost-efficient. Veolia's work culminated in a formal report, which it submitted to DWSD, the governor’s office and several state officials in December 2014.

Attorneys for both Veolia and Lockwood could not be reached for comment.