What's next for Oakland County residents and businesses after water main break
The water is back on here in Auburn Hills, but for many residents and business owners, questions remain about what comes next — from water bills and business losses to how officials plan to prevent something like this from happening again.
While county leaders gathered Thursday to thank Great Lakes Water Authority crews for their round-the-clock repair work, officials say the focus now is on recovery.
For many residents, that starts with questions about water bills, reimbursement, and whether any financial relief is coming.
"They will not see anything different in their water bills, except their consumption will be down because they get billed based on what goes to their home through their meter," said Suzanne Coffey, CEO of the Great Lakes Water Authority.
Coffey says GLWA does not expect impacted residents or businesses to receive credits or reimbursement, though some communities may explore local options.
Meanwhile, county leaders say attention is also turning to businesses hit during one of the busiest weekends of the year.
"The main thing we can do for our businesses is go support them now. They lost out on Mother's Day, a huge day of the year for them," said Oakland County Executive David Coulter.
Officials say the repair itself is expected to cost between $3 and $5 million, with those costs eventually flowing through GLWA's system to communities and ratepayers.
As for what caused the break, Coffey says early indications point to a possible issue inside the pipe wall, with testing still underway.
"It's very likely something inside the pipe wall that degraded faster than it should have," said Coffey.
Officials say residents should continue following boil water guidance until testing is complete, while GLWA works on longer-term changes, including more inspections and possible ways to reroute water during future emergencies.
"The public just needs to know the truth; the risk is there. We're going to manage it as best we can," said Coffey.