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Water distribution underway after Auburn Hills water main break
Three sites in Oakland County will be distributing water again after a water main break in Auburn Hills. Residents in Lake Orion, Orion Township, and northern Auburn Hills have been alerted that they could be without water for weeks due to the break.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (FOX 2) - Water distribution is underway in Auburn Hills, Orion Township, and Lake Orion as a water main break threatens to leave residents without water for weeks.
Early Sunday, residents in these areas were advised to limit their water use as much as possible following a water main break at River Woods Park in Auburn Hills. Repairs to the 42-inch main that feeds Orion Township, Lake Orion, and the northern part of Auburn Hills are expected to be extensive.
On Sunday morning, the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) said that an exact repair timeline is unknown, but advised those who live and work in the affected communities to prepare to be without water for a minimum of 14 days.
In the meantime, residents have been advised to conserve water, as these areas are receiving water from limited reserves, not GLWA.
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Auburn Hills water main break update Sunday morning
Officials from impacted communities and the Great Lakes Water Authority provided an update Sunday morning on a water main break affecting Lake Orion, Orion Township, and part of Auburn Hills. Homes and businesses are expected to lose water at some point in the day as reserve sources run out, leading to an emergency situation for these communities.
Water distribution sites
GLWA has deployed water trucks to three locations at this time. These trucks are capable of providing 2,000 one gallon containers in each trip, and those impacted are able to receive two gallons at the distribution sites.
They are currently expected to operate from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m., but may close temporarily to be refilled.
- Orion Township – Wildwood Amphitheater, 2700 Joslyn Court
- Auburn Hills – Auburn Hills Department of Public Works, 1500 Brown Road
- Lake Orion – Atwater Park, 426 Atwater Street
Dig deeper:
GLWA became aware of the leak last week and started working to potentially avoid a break. However, the main still broke.
"GLWA would typically isolate such a break and begin repair immediately, however, given the layout of the water systems in this area, immediately isolating would have caused loss of water within hours to all of Orion Township and part of Auburn Hills. Since the leak was found May 6, GLWA has been working diligently with the communities to reroute water and to avoid this circumstance," GLWA wrote in a press release early Sunday. "Despite our best efforts, the water main broke before the rerouting could be completed."
GLWA CEO Susan Coffey said the main that broke was installed in 1975 and had a 100-year lifespan, so it isn't clear why it broke. Crews will know more once they dig down to the pipe.
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Auburn Hills water main break: GLWA CEO explains what happened
Great Lakes Water Authority CEO Susan Coffey describes how a leak in an Auburn Hills water main last week led to a break that is expected to leave people in several communities, including Orion Township and Lake Orion, without water.
What's next:
On Sunday, crews were attempting to move water around the system in hopes of bringing water pressure back to the area. Coffey said it was unclear if this method would work, but crews would try.
More details about the repair process are expected as GLWA gets a better picture of what happened.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a State of Emergency on Sunday afternoon.
"We are activating all available state resources to help support impacted communities, restore water service as quickly as possible, and ensure Michiganders have access to safe drinking water," Whitmer said. "I appreciate the swift response from emergency personnel, local officials, and utility crews actively working to address this situation."
The Source: Previous reporting was used to write this story.
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