As officials work to repair a main break affecting communities in Oakland, Macomb and St. Clair counties, some residents are warned to limit their water use.
Homeowners in the communities remaining under a boil-water advisory — Almont, Bruce Township, Burtchville Township, Imlay City, Rochester, Shelby Township and Washington Township — as well as Macomb Township and Chesterfield Township should "refrain from watering their lawns until the repair has been completed," the Great Lakes Water Authority said Wednesday.
Sterling Heights officials said Wednesday residents should limit their outdoor water use until further notice.
"As GLWA continues to work on the repairs to the 120-inch water main break on the regional water system that caused last Saturday’s Boil Water Advisory, limited outdoor water use can help reduce the load on the regional water system and help other surrounding communities possibly lift their Boil Water Advisory sooner," the city said in a statement.
Community Relations director Melanie Davis added: "If surrounding communities don’t comply, we could risk significant repair delays and even end up on another Boil Water Advisory for Sterling Heights.”
A water main break Saturday near the regional water authority’s water treatment facility in St. Clair County prompted a boil-water advisory for nearly two dozen communities.
The water main distributes finished drinking water from the Great Lakes Water Authority's Lake Huron Water Treatment Facility to communities in the northern part of the water supplier's service area.
On Monday, authority officials said crews isolated the break in the 120-inch water transmission main and finished removing water from the site to prepare the area for repairs.
Authority officials initially estimated it would take two weeks for repairs to be completed and the boil water advisory to be lifted.
But CEO Suzanne Coffey said an initial inspection revealed more damage than anticipated. The repair timeline has been extended by a week and full, sanitary water flow is expected to be restored to all affected communities Sept. 3, Coffey said.
Twenty feet of pipe was ordered immediately after the break and delivered Sunday. The 48 feet of additional replacement pipe is expected to arrive next week and was being manufactured in Mississippi, the authority said.
Meanwhile, about 10,000 gallons of water were distributed to affected communities in Macomb County on Tuesday, including an industrial park in Romeo, said Brandon Lewis, director of Macomb County Emergency Management.
The industrial park and a business in Greenwood remain under the boil-water advisory along with the seven communities, the water authority said Wednesday.