Matthew Dolan, and Paul Egan

Detroit Free Press

The Michigan attorney general filed a lawsuit Wednesday morning against a water company and an engineering firm, plus several related companies, in connection with the Flint drinking water crisis, alleging the firms' "acts and omission constitute professional negligence, fraud and public nuisance."

Attorney General Bill Schuette's lawsuit names seven corporate defendants in all, but according to court records they are all related to two firms that did work for the City of Flint.

The civil lawsuit filed in Flint in Genesee County Circuit Court and obtained by the Detroit Free Press accuses the companies of causing "the Flint Water Crisis to occur, continue and worsen," the lawsuit said. The companies listed as defendants include Veolia North America, Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam and Leo A.and "Veolia’s engagement with the city was wholly unrelated to the current lead issues."

Flint didn't hire Veolia until nearly one year after the switch to the Flint River, and the company recommended changes "to minimize (disinfectant byproduct) formation along with risks associated with corrosion," the statement said.

Schuette was joined at a 10 a.m. news conference today at U-M Flint by Special Assistant Attorney General Noah Hall and members of his investigative team, which is led by Royal Oak attorney Todd Flood and Andrew Arena, the former special agent in charge of the FBI office in Detroit.

In April, Schuette announced felony criminal charges against two Michigan Department of Environmental Quality officials and one City of Flint official in connection with the lead contamination of Flint's drinking water. The city