title: EPA actions in Flint water crisis to be examined: White House
text: WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will ensure that federal officials are held accountable if any wrongdoing is uncovered in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s handling of the water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan, the White House said on Thursday. “The president believes that the principle of accountability is important, particularly when the stakes are this high,” White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters at a briefing.  Noting that the Justice Department was investigating the contamination of Flint’s water supply, Earnest said Obama will make sure that EPA officials are held responsible for any “errors or wrongdoing” that may be uncovered. Obama on Wednesday said it was “inexplicable and inexcusable” that families in Flint were not immediately notified about the contaminated water. Federal and local government agencies have faced criticism for their response to the crisis in Flint, where a switch in water supply for the cash-strapped city of 100,000 north of Detroit led to elevated levels of lead in drinking water. High levels of lead in the blood can cause brain damage and other health problems.  While the Obama administration has repeatedly stressed oversight of the Flint’s water was primarily the responsibility of state and local authorities, the EPA has said it did not act fast enough to address the problem. Complaints about Flint’s water began within a month after the city switched to Flint River water in April 2014 to save money. The city had been using the Lake Huron as its water source.  Flint did not return to the Lake Huron water supply until October 2015, after tests showed elevated levels of lead in Flint tap water and in some children. 