Water Main Reaches its Breaking Point

Closed+off+water+fountains.

Brianna McKerracher

Closed off water fountains.

A major water main on Drake and 14 Mile Road broke on Monday October, 23. Workers have closed off a portion of 14 Mile between Drake and Farmington and have reduced the flooding on the road, but now communities are focusing on getting clean water to the people affected.

The twelve impacted areas are: Bloomfield Township, Commerce Township, Farmington Hills, Keego Harbor, Oakland Township , Orchard Lake Village, Novi, Novi Township, Rochester Hills, Wixom, West Bloomfield Township, and Walled Lake. The “boil water” advisories that have been put in place are affecting the local schools, hospitals, and businesses in those areas. All schools in the West Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, Walled Lake and Novi school districts closed Tuesday. At Adams all the drinking fountains have been blocked off and covered up.

Brianna McKerracher
Evan Hassien drinks a bottle of water provided to him by Adams.

“We are gonna follow the Great Lakes Water Authority because they make the decision to put the boil water advisory into effect. So, when they say that the water main is fixed, that the pressure is back where it needs to be, and we are safely allowed to drink the water then the drinking fountains will be reopened and we’ll call it a day,” said Vice Principal Todd Calcamuggio.

Calcamuggio and the administration at Adams is providing bottled water for any student who needs it until the water fountains are up and running again. According to WXYZ Detroit News, the Great Lakes Water Authority will finish at the earliest, Friday October 27.