DETROIT – Work crews are continuing to repair the massive water main break that flooded a southwest Detroit neighborhood.
Background: Devastating water main break leaves Detroit families seeking answers, reimbursement
The broken section has been removed and the replacement will be installed. In the meantime, the city is getting to work cleaning and sanitizing nearly 400 basements, removing debris and standing water.
Bryan Peckinpaugh, with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, said contractors will start repairing furnaces, hot water tanks and other appliances on Monday.
Tammy Brock lives next to the epicenter of the water main break. She said the city isn’t moving fast enough.
“I’m very angry right now. My neighbor is down there throwing out stuff but how are you going to throw out stuff when these trucks are coming up and down the street?” Brock asked.
Five days after the water main break flooded the area, there are still chunks of ice in her basement among her scattered belongings.
“It’s a lot of sadness,” Brock said of the mess. “I have my kids' trophies from when they played sports.”
The city estimates it could take six weeks to clean and sanitize homes. Some had water damage up to the first floor. Meanwhile, the Great Lakes Water Authority said it will take about two weeks to repair the pipe.
“They have to test the pipe and inspect it,” Peckinpaugh said. “That’s what they’re doing right now, that’s why they haven’t replaced the section that broke. And then they have to do bacterial tests before they put it back in service.”
While 170 families are in hotels paid for by the city and GLWA, Brock said she’s not leaving.
“Why should we still have to live like this? And we’re at the main break, you would think they’d be taking care of us,” Brock said.
City officials said they empathize with the frustrated residents and that they’re working as fast as they can. They said it would take some time, but that work would ramp up on Monday and that it’ll be a 24/7 job until it’s completed.
