Michigan Families Told To Prepare For Weeks Without Reliable Water

Imagine waking up and finding out your community could be without water for at least two weeks. That’s the reality right now for thousands of people in Oakland County after a massive 42-inch waterline ruptured in Auburn Hills early Sunday morning.

Massive Waterline Ruptures In Auburn Hills

And this thing didn’t come out of nowhere either. The Great Lakes Water Authority says crews actually discovered a leak in the line back on May 6 and were trying to reroute water before it became a bigger problem.

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But before they could finish, the pipe burst around 1:30 Sunday morning near Riverwood Park according to Mid-Michigan Now.

Communities Across Oakland County Impacted by Water Main Break

Now you’ve got communities like Auburn Hills, Pontiac, Rochester Hills, Orion Township, Lake Orion, and Oakland Township all dealing with the fallout. Some areas have already completely lost water service, and officials say pressure will continue dropping as crews keep the damaged section isolated. There’s also now a boil water advisory in Rochester Hills because of the pressure loss.

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Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency Sunday to help get more state resources involved, and water trucks are now stationed at places like Wildwood Amphitheater, the Auburn Hills DPW, and Atwater Park so residents can get access to water.

Officials Warn Repairs Could Take Weeks

The bad news? Officials say people should prepare to be without reliable service for a minimum of two weeks while crews remove the damaged pipe, disinfect the system, test the water, and slowly bring everything back online. For a lot of families, this is turning into a major disruption fast.