Officials Ask 23 Metro Detroit Communities To Stop Watering Lawns As Crews Fix Water Line

METRO DETROIT — Great Lakes Water Authority officials asked residents that were affected by the 120-inch water main break to stop watering their lawns while crews work to repair the broken pipe.

A total of 23 communities were initially impacted by the water main break, and while just seven communities were still advised to boil their water before drinking or cooking Thursday morning, officials asked all 23 communities to refrain from watering their lawns.

Suspending the outdoor water use will allow the limited water supply to be evenly distributed to residents, businesses and emergency services, officials said.

"As GLWA continues to work on the repairs to the 120-inch water main break on the regional water system that caused last Saturday’s Boil Water Advisory, limited outdoor water use can help reduce the load on the regional water system and help other surrounding communities possibly lift their Boil Water Advisory sooner," the city of Sterling Heights said in a social media post.

When the officials found a leak in a 120-inch water transmission main near the Lake Huron Treatment Facility early Saturday, nearly 900,000 residents in 23 communities across the greater metro Detroit area were asked to boil their water before drinking or cooking. They were:

• Village of Almont
• Auburn Hills
• Bruce Township
• Burtchville Township
• Chesterfield Township
• Clinton Township
• City of Flint
• Flint Township
• Imlay City
• City of Lapeer
• Lenox Township
• Macomb Township
• Mayfield Township
• Village of New Haven
• Orion Township
• City of Pontiac
• City of Rochester
• City of Rochester Hills
• Shelby Township
• City of Sterling Heights
• City of Troy
• City of Utica
• Washington Township

As of Thursday morning, nearly 133,000 people were still under the boil water advisory in seven communities, including:

• Village of Almont
• Bruce Township
• Burtchville Township
• Imlay City
• City of Rochester
• Shelby Township
• Washington Township

Officials announced Tuesday that repairs could now take up to three weeks, after initially saying the pipe should be fixed in two weeks. The original plan said it will take one week for the repairs and an additional week for water quality testing. Crews were expected to have the pipe fixed by Sept. 3.