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Detroit residents dealing with water main breaks following Grand Prix weekend

Posted at 6:05 AM, Jun 06, 2023
and last updated 2023-06-06 06:05:50-04

DETROIT, MI (WXYZ) — The consequences of this past weekend's fun in Detroit is now overflowing into this week with people living in D now dealing with water main breaks.

"There's no way in the h e double hockey stick we should have to be going to shower at hotel rooms, calling off of work unexpectedly," Sxakeya McKinley said.

McKinley lives on Prevost Street on Detroit's west side. She says water has been flowing freely down her block for days yet the water coming from her faucet is "very light water pressure like doot doot doot doot."

7 Action News captured another bubbling rush of water streaming down Gratiot and Russell streets.

"In the last 3 to 4 days we've had an inordinate number of water main breaks, almost 40," Gary Brown the director of the Detroit Water and Sewage Department said.

According to Brown, the breaks are a result of too much demand on the system. Including this weekend's Grand Prix and the increased use of sprinklers and irrigation because of the lack of rain. 700 million gallons of water were used per day.

"We haven't seen that type of volume in a number of years," Brown said.

The city says it is bringing in more contractors and working overtime to get these breaks fixed but they warn it could take a few days before they get to all 40.