(WWJ) The toilets are flushing again in Gladwin, Michigan.
Officials in the Northern Michigan city on Tuesday told their 3,000 residents that the wastewater treatment plant appeared to have been hit by lightning during storms Monday night, and the plant was not operating properly.
As a result, residents and businesses were asked to immediately stop using their bathrooms, sinks, showers, and other plumbing fixtures. If not, there could be sewage backups.
While officials were assessing the problem, the city placed porta johns around town for the public to use.
"The City Emergency Manager is enroute to assess the situation and is working with City staff and other resources to determine the extent of the damage and restore operations as quickly as possible," the city said, in a message posted to social media.
In an update Wednesday morning, the city said it was pleased to announce that that wastewater services were again operating safely, and residents and businesses could resume normal use of their facilities.
As a precaution, Gladwin residents and businesses are urged to continue to conserve water whenever practical until the treatment plant has been fully assessed and returned to normal operating conditions.
"Conserving water will help reduce unnecessary demand on the system while restoration efforts continue," the city said in a public posting, adding: "We understand this situation has been challenging and appreciate the community’s patience. During incidents involving critical infrastructure, information must be confirmed before it is released to ensure accuracy and to protect public health and safety. We appreciate everyone’s understanding as our emergency response team follows established emergency management protocols."
Read more and get further updates HERE.
