Boil water advisory issued in Rochester Hills area, alert could be expanded
A precautionary boil water advisory has been issued for part of Rochester Hills and Oakland Township in Southeast Michigan; with the Great Lakes Water Authority monitoring conditions at a leak on a 42-inch water main.
The water main involved is in River Woods Park in Auburn Hills, and the leak was discovered on Wednesday. The immediate area has been blocked off.
The Great Lakes Water Authority said if the break gets worse, residents in Auburn Hills, Orion Township, Lake Orion, Pontiac, part of Rochester Hills and a subdivision in southwest Oakland Township might notice lower than normal water pressure or even no water service.
GLWA has already ordered a precautionary boil water advisory for part of Rochester Hills and a nearby subdivision in Oakland Township based on a drop in water pressure that was noticed earlier on Wednesday.
The City of Rochester Hills said its crews started flushing fire hydrants in the affected area on Wednesday afternoon and will continue that work on Thursday. Water testing has started and results are expected by Friday afternoon.
While the situation is being monitored, the water authority opened an emergency operations center to coordinate logistics under the Department of Homeland Security's Incident Command System.
GLWA said it has also placed its emergency contractors on notice for repair work.
When a boil water advisory is issued, the affected residents should not drink or use the tap water for preparing food or brushing teeth without boiling it first. Bring all tap water that needs to be used to a boil for one minute, then let it cool before using. As an alternative, businesses and residents can make arrangements for bottled water during those situations.