CLAY TOWNSHIP, Mich. – A water main break in the North Channel of the St. Clair River has shut off water service for Harsens Island residents.
“This is horrible. We can’t wash our clothes. We can’t wash our dishes. We can’t wash our bodies,” resident Stacy Williams said.
About 600 customers, or at least 1,500 people, have been impacted.
“The biggest thing is the toilet, not being able to go to the restroom is not very pleasant,” resident Brandon Oakey said.
The water main break was discovered at 12:15 a.m. on Dec. 12.
“The water plant notified the DPW director here in Clay Township that there was some sort of water main issue, and they thought it might be on Harsens Island. So they dispatched their staff to go look around the island and look around the mainland for a water break, and did not find one,” St. Clair County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Justin Westmiller said.
Cause of water main break
Crews were able to determine that the problem was underwater.
But due to the windy conditions, divers weren’t able to get into the water to get an up-close look.
“The river is very rough, and we want to make sure that we can put divers in the water safely and recover them safely,” Westmiller said.
When will water service return?
Emergency officials said it could be days or even longer before water service is restored.
“Because that the break is out there in the middle of the water, the river, so there’s no telling when they’re going to get to it and fix it,” Clay Township firefighter Brian Sears said.
With no running water, the Clay Township Fire Department is handing out water to residents for free.
The water main break is not affecting fire service on the island.
Sears said the department’s trucks have water storage tanks, which are full.
If they run low on water, he said the department could draw water from the river.