OAKLAND COUNTY (WWJ) - Residents in Novi, Walled Lake and Commerce Township are being told not to drink the water after severe weather caused a temporary power outage at a Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) station on Monday.
The Boil Advisory went into effect when officials noticed the loss of water pressure in the water distribution system just before 6 p.m.
The City of Novi said there were multiple DTE equipment malfunctions which caused the outage – the West Service Center, Franklin and Adams Rd. pumping stations were affected as a result.
“Whenever a water system loses pressure for any significant length of time, precautionary measures are recommended because a loss of pressure can lead to bacterial contamination in the water system,” officials said in a statement.
Authorities said no contamination has been detected so far, but all residents connected to the community water supply in the affected area should boil water used for cooking and drinking.
“The water system in this area will be flushed and samples will be collected,” officials for Oakland County said. “The boil water notice will be lifted once the laboratory confirms that the water is safe to drink.”
Officials recommend the following tips for the affected communities.
• Water should be boiled for at least one minute and allowed to cool before consumption.
• Boiled, bottled, or disinfected water should be used for drinking, making ice, washing dishes, brushing teeth, and preparing food until further notice.
For more frequently asked questions on Boil Water Advisories, visit Oakgov.com.
For Novi residents looking for more information, please contact Scott Roselle at 248-735-5661 or 26300 Lee BeGole Drive, Novi Michigan 48375.
General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
New information can be found at the Oakland County water hotline at 248-858-1555.