Oakland County was hit by a lack of water as a major water main broke in the Farmington Hills area. Repair crews are working relentlessly to fix the damage and restore normalcy in the area. Currently, 250,000 residents of Oakland County are suffering from Water Shortage. The part required to fix the damaged portion of the Water Main arrived on Wednesday, October 25, and repair work is underway. The 20-foot pipe part was delivered from Illinois as scheduled. In the interim, 12 communities of the County and 51,000 residents will have to do without running water in their homes and offices.
The high demand for clean water resulted in a mad rush to buy bottled water available in stores. However, even the supply of bottled water is low in the County as businesses are trying hard to keep up with the consumer demand. According to Clickon Detroit, people queued up in front of the Freshway Market in Walled Lake before the store even opened up. The CCTV footage collected from the store shows cashiers only ringing up bottles by cases and gallons.
Mandatory boil advisory issued to residents
In the wake of this shortage in the area, a mandatory boil water advisory has been issued across all communities until the main is restored. According to the officials of the GLWA or Great Lakes Water Authority, the supply will be restored by Friday, October 27, evening at the earliest.
The authorities are insisting people boil water so as to prevent bacterial infections. In a press release, the GLWA states that the loss of water pressure in the system could lead to bacterial contamination so it is advisable to boil water and eliminate the bacteria before consuming it.
According to a WDIV-TV report, the alert has been issued in several districts.
This has led to the temporary closure of schools and hospitals, prompting a shift in the schedules of patients and surgeries. The statement released by the GLWA noted that boiling will kill the bacteria and prevent them from entering human bodies. The statement also detailed the procedure one must follow to boil water properly.
The press release stated that one should let it stay at boiling point for at least a minute, then proceed to cool it down before consumption.
Several communities fall under the mandatory alert
Several communities across the Oakland County fell under the alert. Residents of communities such as the Farmington Hills north of 696, West Bloomfield, Commerce Township, Walled Lake, and many others were advised to boil the water before consuming.
