As leaders in five Oakland County communities and three school districts learn the impact of the breaking of a 42-inch Great Lake Water Authority main early Sunday morning, warnings are being issued about water use.
Emergencies have been declared in three communities, limiting how water can be used.
The biggest impact is in Orion Township and Lake Orion, where about 43,000 face the imminent loss of running water, unless they are on a well.
Northern Auburn Hills and northwestern Rochester Hills are also impacted, already seeing extremely low water pressure on Sunday morning. Two neighborhoods in Oakland Township, located at Adams and Dutton roads, are connected to the Rochester Hills system, and they are impacted as well.
States of emergency have been declared by Orion Township, Lake Orion and Auburn Hills.
By mid-afternoon, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer active the State of Emergency Operations Center and declared a state of emergency for the area.
Leaders said that water the Orion Township water tower will run out eventually as it holds a single day’s worth, but they hoped people could make it last longer by using water only for hydration and essential sanitation.
Auburn Hills warned that the northern portion of the city could see total water loss as well.
Both Rochester Hills and Auburn Hills ordered residents and businesses to reduce water usage to preserve water resources for residents in northern neighborhoods.
By mid-afternoon in Oakland Township, where water had been at a trickle in the morning, there was an improved but still low water pressure.
Water is being distributed by GLWA in three locations, with residents being given two 1-gallon containers, using plastic bags.
At the Meijer store on Adams Road near M-59, shelves of gallon containers of water were mostly empty at 2:30 p.m.; however, cases of purified and spring water were available still.
The store was in the process of setting up sorta-potties outside, as businesses and residents in Rochester Hills have been instructed to reduce water usage.
Portable toilets were being set up at the Meijer on Adams Road in Rochester Hills on Sunday, May 10, as the city has requested residents and businesses reduce water use. (Stephen Frye / MediaNews Group)
Emergency alerts were sent to people’s mobile devices in the area to implore reductions in water usage.
And Auburn Hills announced at about 3 p.m. that its emergency came with a warning.
“The state of emergency places the entire city of Auburn Hills under an ’emergency use only’ restriction for water use until further notice,” the city announced. “Instances of water use for non-essential purposes during the state of emergency will be investigated, and violators may be prosecuted.
“Preserving water now may helps preserve available pressure and extend access for critical community needs.”
For residents and businesses north of Cross Creek Parkway and University Drive is under a mandatory boil water advisory until further notice.
Orion Township, Lake Orion, and parts of Rochester Hills (and Oakland Township residents using city water) are under a boil water advisory as well.
“We are asking Rochester Hills residents and businesses to continue to restrict their water usage to only what is absolutely necessary for hydration and basic sanitation for the duration of this emergency,” the city of Rochester Hills requested. “Please do not run dishwashers, washing machines, or water your lawn.
“The city currently has water pressure, but residents in the northwest area of the City may be seeing only a trickle of water or none at all.”
“Currently, repair work is expected to be extensive,” Auburn Hills reported. “Residents and businesses should prepare for the possibility of a prolonged outage.”
It is not known yet how schools will handle the situation, as municipal and school leaders are waiting for what engineers from GLWA learn in the next day or so.
Lake Orion Community Schools are closed Monday and Tuesday due to no water for restrooms. The district has about 7,000 students.
File photo. (Stephen Frye / MediaNews Group)
The Avondale School District, which has about 3,600 students, is also closed Monday.
Rochester Community Schools will be open Monday with bottled water available due to the Rochester Hills boil water advisory.
Officials from Oakland County and the water authority say residents should monitor their community’s information for the latest guidance on conditions and updates.
Here are Facebook pages for:
– Lake Orion Community Schools
– Oakland County Health Division
– Michigan State Police Emergency Management.
‘This is not a drill’: Water main break means faucets will run dry in parts of Oakland County