Several Macomb County communities were under a Boil Water Advisory on Wednesday, a day after a major water main break was identified in Macomb Township.
On Tuesday, the Great Lakes Water Authority said it had isolated a break on its 36-inch water transmission main on 24 Mile Road near North Avenue. The break caused water pressure to drop in five communities, triggering the advisories.
GLWA said the Boil Water Advisory would be lifted after two rounds of water testing, which would take about 48 hours. The first round of testing was conducted on Tuesday afternoon. If results pass safety standards, the advisory should be lifted on Thursday.
The impacted communities were:
- Chesterfield Township
- Lenox Township
- Macomb Township
- New Haven
- City of Rochester (Rochester east, GLWA District).
Here’s a map showing the affected areas:
What should residents do during a boil water advisory?
Under this mandatory Boil Water Advisory, residents should not drink the water without boiling it first. Residents must bring 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.
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. Bacteria are 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.
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