More than 930,000 people in and around Detroit have been urged to boil their water after a leak was discovered in a 120-inch transmission main that transports water from Lake Huron Water Treatment Facility to residents.
Great Lakes Water Authority issued the boil water advisory Saturday for more than 23 towns, including Flint, which has been battling water crises since 2014.
As of Sunday morning, seven communities and 133,000 people remain under the advisory.
The loss of pressure in a water system can lead to bacterial contamination, water officials said, and “precautionary measures” are advised. While bacteria is typically not harmful, boiling the water can still kill it.
“GLWA understands the real-life impact that this water main break is having on the hundreds of thousands of people in the affected communities and we truly appreciate their patience and understanding as we work to implement the necessary repairs,” CEO Suzanne Coffey said in a statement Sunday.
“I am grateful for the GLWA team who has been working tirelessly to restore water pressure to all communities and working as quickly as possible to restore service.”
Crews have already isolated the break and have started to remove the water from the site, which will allow them to begin repairs, which should take a week. Water officials will then conduct a week of water quality testing before getting the pipeline back online.
Those still under the advisory are instructed to bring all water to a boil for at least one minute, then let it cool before using. That includes water used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth and preparing food.
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