UPDATE: Dozens of people have been rescued, and the City of Detroit mobilized a massive response effort to provide displaced residents with shelter, food and transportation. The Great Lakes Water Authority and the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department will split the cost of home repairs and damages 50/50, the city said. Learn more here.
DETROIT (WWJ) A massive water main break has flooded a neighborhood on Detroit’s southwest side, with water up to four feet deep, dubbed one of the worst in the city’s history.
"That water, combined with the freezing cold temperatures, is starting to turn to ice," WWJ's Charlie Langton reported early Monday morning. "...Stay away! The police have most of this area blocked off."
The main break happened near Beard and Rowan Streets— in the area of Livernois between West Vernor and I-75— overnight. The Great Lakes Water Authority (GWLA) learned of the rupture of the 54-inch transmission line around 4 a.m. Monday, February 17.
The flooding impacts about 150 to 200 homes in that area, within a square mile. The boundaries of the neighborhood are Chatfield to the north, Lafayette to the south, Lewerenz to the east and Solvay to the west. Some homes are without power and almost all are experiencing flooding in their basements. (See DTE's Electrical Safety Tips During Floods at bottom of article).
Mayor Mike Duggan went to the site of the break for a morning press conference.
“If you want to be removed from your house, dial 911. Fire and rescue crews will be out immediately,” he said. “If you are in the areas where the water is three or four feet deep, you can see we’ve sent the front loader equipment from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department, and it will come in and get you out safely.”
He reiterated, if you feel safe in your home, you may stay.
“If you have your power on, and you want to stay, and you feel comfortable, right now, we believe you can do that.”
Residents are being relocated to a recreation center for temporary shelter. According to Duggan, permanent shelter will be available by nightfall.
Gabrielle, who lives in the area, says her entire basement is flooded. She said she left her home before help arrived.
"We ended up getting trash bags, Hefty bags, and we just tied them on our legs and we're like, we're just going to walk through..." she said. "...There was a lot of ice, so we had my dad go in first and start breaking the ice so we could get out. Thankfully, we were able to get out, but I know there's people who don't have anywhere to go."
WWJ's Tim Pamplin described it as "a scene of absolute devastation as one square mile of southwest Detroit is now under frozen water."
He reports boats from law enforcement agencies across Metro Detroit are taking residents to safety, joining the efforts of the Detroit Fire Department, who used front loaders earlier this morning to rescue residents from their homes.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office brought in their Urban Search and Rescue, and their Water Rescue teams and equipment. Crews from Macomb and Monroe counties also arrived at the scene.
First responders rescued a family of five, including three young children, on the back of a police truck.
Ambulances and paramedics are on hand to examine the residents. Those who do not need medical attention board a warming bus.
Cleanup efforts are also underway.
"Crews are trying to get this water out of here....they've brought portable pumping stations in..." Pamplin said.
The break occurred on a steel pipe built in the 1930s, according to the GWLA.
The GWLA, which oversees the line, said their crews have "successfully" isolated the break as of 11:30 Monday morning, and have coordinated a response effort--along with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department and the City of Detroit. Water levels are receding, they said.
Duggan reiterated that safety is first priority.
“Right now, I just want to make sure we get everyone out of the neighborhood safely,” Duggan said. “Then we’ll get to shelter. Then we talk about how we compensate folks for the damages.”
DTE has released the following electrical safety tips for residents with flooded basements:
-Do not touch electrical equipment if it's wet or if you're standing in water.
-Do not enter a flooded basement until it's declared safe, especially if there's a risk of electrical shock.
-If you can do so safely, turn off electricity at the main breaker or fuse box to prevent electrical shock.
Learn more here
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GWLA full statement:
Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) Field Service crews and contractors have successfully isolated a break on a 54-inch steel water transmission main at Beard and Rowan in Southwest Detroit. The break, which occurred in the early morning hours of Monday, February 17, 2025, was on a steel pipe originally built in the 1930s.
Water levels in the impacted area, which runs from approximately Chatfield on the north to Lafayette on the south to Lewerenz on the east to Solvay on the west are receding as GLWA continues emergency response efforts in conjunction with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) and other City of Detroit agencies.
More updates will be provided as they become available.
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