A major water main broke early Sunday in Auburn Hills, and water pressure is expected to decline, possibly resulting in water outages, officials said.
The rupture occurred in a 42-inch Great Lakes Water Authority transmission line in River Woods Park, near Squirrel Road just south of M‑59, at about 1:30 a.m., according to a release from the Auburn Hills Police Department.
The city of Auburn Hills declared an emergency and said residents and businesses should use water for emergency purposes only.
Auburn Hills also issued a boil water advisory for all areas of the city north of Cross Creek Parkway and University Drive. Residents and businesses should boil water before drinking it, officials said.
North of Taylor Road, water is being supplied by a water tower, but the supply may not last until repairs are completed, and water service could be depleted, officials said. South of Taylor Road an emergency remains in effect as alternative resources are tapped to maintain service.
Orion Township, which declared an emergency as a precaution Saturday, is asking residents to restrict water use to drinking and basic sanitation to maintain water pressure and extend water access for critical needs.
During the emergency, the Great Lakes Water Authority is providing free bottled water:
∎In Auburn Hills at The Auburn Hills Department of Public Works, 1500 Brown Road.
∎In the village of Lake Orion at Atwater Park, 426 Atwater St.
∎In Orion Township, at Wildwood Amphitheater, 2700 Joslyn Court.
Auburn Hills officials said the break caused significant flooding in River Woods Park and along Squirrel Road. River Woods Park will be closed while the GLWA makes repairs, officials said. Squirrel Road was temporarily closed, but GLWA crews shut down the affected section of a transmission line, allowing the roadway to drain and the road to reopen.
This story will be updated.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Water outages possible after main line ruptures in Auburn Hills
Reporting by The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
