A boil water notice has been lifted for Commerce Township, Novi and Walled Lake following a water main break in Farmington Hills that impacted several areas.
Officials with the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) announced Wednesday afternoon that a boil water advisory issued for the regions on Sunday, Oct. 31 is no longer in effect. The notice was issued due to a 48-inch water main break at 14 Mile and Drake roads in Farmington Hills, which caused low water pressure in the communities.
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Officials said Sunday that the boil water advisory would be lifted once water samples showed no signs of bacteria. GLWA said Wednesday that “results for each of the two rounds of water quality testing have come back clear,” allowing the boil water notice to be lifted immediately.
The communities of Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, Commerce Township, Walled Lake and Wixom were all reportedly impacted by the water main break in Farmington Hills, according to GLWA. Some of those communities, however, have not issued boil water advisories.
Regarding the water main break, GLWA issued the following statement on Sunday evening:
“At approximately 5:15 p.m. tonight, GLWA experienced a break in a 48-inch transmission main located in the area of 14 Mile and Drake Road. GLWA Field Service crews are on-site working to isolate the break, which given the size of the main, is estimated to take another three hours. In the interim, GLWA has been in contact with impacted communities to request that they open up their emergency valves to assist the Authority in maintaining minimal system pressures. At no time has the pressure in the regional system dropped to the point that would require a boil water advisory be issued by the regional system. However, individual communities may have experienced pressure drops significant enough to warrant them to issue a boil water advisory out of an abundance of caution. Those communities impacted include Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, Commerce Township, Novi, Walled Lake and Wixom.”
Great Lakes Water Authority
Click here to learn more about what to do once a boil water notice is lifted.
Boil water advisory -- what it means
Boil water advisories usually include this advice:
- Use bottled or boiled water for drinking, and to prepare and cook food.
- If bottled water is not available, bring water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute (at elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for 3 minutes). After boiling, allow the water to cool before use.
- Boil tap water even if it is filtered (for example, by a home water filter or a pitcher that filters water).
- Do not use water from any appliance connected to your water line, such as ice and water from a refrigerator.
- Breastfeeding is the best infant feeding option. If you formula feed your child, provide ready-to-use formula, if possible.
Hand washing
- In many cases, you can use tap water and soap to wash hands during a boil water advisory. Follow the guidance from your local public health officials.
- Be sure to scrub your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Then, rinse them well under running water.
- If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Bathing and showering
- Be careful not to swallow any water when bathing or showering.
- Use caution when bathing babies and young children. Consider giving them a sponge bath to reduce the chance of them swallowing water.
Brushing teeth
- Brush teeth with boiled or bottled water. Do not use tap water that you have not boiled first.
Washing dishes
- If possible, use disposable plates, cups, and utensils during a boil water advisory.
- Household dishwashers generally are safe to use if: The water reaches a final rinse temperature of at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit (66°Celsius), or The dishwater has a sanitizing cycle.
- Sanitize all baby bottles.
- To wash dishes by hand: Wash and rinse the dishes as you normally would using hot water. In a separate basin, add 1 teaspoon of unscented household liquid bleach for each gallon of warm water. Soak the rinsed dishes in the water for at least one minute. Let the dishes air dry completely before using again.
Laundry
- It is safe to wash clothes as usual.
Cleaning
- Clean washable toys and surfaces with: Bottled water, Boiled water, or Water that has been disinfected with bleach pdf icon[PDF – 1 page].
Caring for pets
- Pets can get sick from some of the same germs as people or spread germs to people. Give pets bottled water or boiled water that has cooled.
- If bottled water is not available, bring water to a full rolling boil for 1 minute (at elevations above 6,500 feet, boil for 3 minutes). After boiling, allow the water to cool before use.
- Boil tap water even if it is filtered (for example, by a home water filter or a pitcher that filters water).
- Do not use water from any appliance connected to your water line, such as ice and water from a refrigerator.
Caring for your garden and houseplants
- You can use tap water for household plants and gardens.
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