UPDATE: Since this article was updated early afternoon Saturday, Aug. 13, to remove the city of Flint and Flint Township, as communities requiring residents to boil water that were named in the Great Lakes Water Authority press release. The Great Lakes Water Authority has significantly reduced its list of communities with a boil water advisory to seven areas as of Sunday, Aug. 14 and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for four counties due to the water main break.
DETROIT, MI – The Great Lakes Water Authority issued a boil water advisory Saturday morning for 23 communities after a water main break.
The leak on a 120-inch water transmission main was discovered in the early morning hours of Aug. 13, and is affecting an estimated 935,000 people in metro Detroit communities, according to a Great Lakes Water Authority(GLWA) press release.
The main is the largest in the regional water distribution system that distributes finished drinking water from the Lake Huron Water Treatment Facility to communities in the northern part of GLWA’s drinking water service area.
Due to changing water pressure levels, and out of an abundance of caution, GLWA said it issued the precautionary boil water advisory. Residents should not drink the water without boiling it first, bringing all water to a boil for at least one minute and then let it cool before using.
Boiled, bottled or disinfected water should be used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and preparing food until further notice.
Crews have identified the location of the leak, which is approximately one mile west of GLWA’s Lake Huron Water Treatment Facility and are working to isolate the area around it so that repair work can begin.
Once the leak is isolated, crews will begin to open emergency connections to other mains in the system to restore some flow to the impacted communities.
GLWA is currently investigating the cause of the break. The advisory will remain in effect until results from sampling verify the water is safe to drink.
The boil water advisory is in affect for the following communities:
- City of Lapeer
- Village of Almont
- City of Auburn Hills
- Bruce Township
- Burtchville Township
- Chesterfield Township
- Clinton Township
- City of Imlay City
- Lenox Township,
- Macomb Township
- Mayfield Township
- Village of New Haven
- Orion Township
- City of Pontiac
- City of Rochester,
- City of Rochester Hills
- Shelby Township
- City of Sterling Heights
- City of Troy
- City of Utica
- Washington Township
Whenever a water system loses pressure for any significant length of time, precautionary measures are recommended since a loss of pressure can lead to bacterial contamination in the water system, the release said.
Officials say bacteria is generally not harmful and are common throughout our environment. Boiling water before using it will kill bacteria and other organisms that may be in the water.
GLWA Water Quality will advise the affected communities when the Boil Water Advisory has been lifted.
For more information, contact Great Lakes Water Authority Water Quality at waterquality@glwater.org or by calling 313-926-8192 or 313-926-8128. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
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