Steps to take when the Oakland Co boil water advisory ends

(WJBK) - Officials may lift the remaining boil water advisories in Oakland County on Sunday depending on the results of a second round of water testing. 

In the meantime, people need to know what to do once that happens. The boil water advisories have been lifted in Bloomfield Township and Keego Harbor 

But that doesn't mean Joanna Diehl and her family can consume it just yet. There a several items on an extensive 'what to do list' she needs to check off before they can get back to using their water like normal.

"The first thing we ask them to do is do a really good flush of their water system," said Leigh Ann Stafford, Oakland County health officer. "That includes flushing the cold water for at least five minutes then turning on the hot water and flushing for five minutes.

"Before you flush, we suggest you remove the aerators on the faucets then set those aside. Clean those, disinfect those."

After that, she says people need to replace water filters under the sink, in refrigerators, in pitchers or anywhere else in the house.

Check and clean humidifiers, medical devices and appliances like dishwashers.

"We have to do this on the sanitize cycle," said Diehl. "So I'm going to do the high temperature wash on it."

Stafford says those who don't follow these instructions, run the slight risk of getting an upset stomach or worse - the runs. 

This lengthy process marks the beginning of the end of a very long week.  About 260,000 people in Oakland County were under that boil water advisory and about 50,000 had no water at all, after a massive water main break in Farmington Hills.

Dr. Peder Seglund could sum it up in one word - tough.

"I've got four young kids, we've had to boil water, scoop it out, buy cases of water, use it to brush teeth, wash them, everything," Seglund said. "In fact we were just going through it right now, so that's why I'm so photogenic tonight putting four kids to bed." 

"We've had two pots of water that we boiled on the stove, so we would just use one and refill it as it," Diehl said. "We managed. It wasn't horrible but it wasn't pleasure either."

Restaurants, schools, healthcare and childcare facilities will have to go through a similar process of flushing water lines.