The Oakland County Water Resources Commission (WRC) is working to address a water main issue on Gainsboro. That repair requiries them to shut water main valves in the area.
This process may cause east side residents to lose water service or water pressure for a period of time during the day today when WRC closes the valves. We do not have an estimate for what time during the day or how long that will be due to the nature of the work and the uncertainties caused by our old water infrastructure.
You should expect to experience brown water after water service is restored. This is a common issue with our old water mains whenever one is shut down or when fire hydrants are opened. It is caused by sediment shaking loose from the inside of the cast iron water main. If you have brown water, run the cold water tap closest to your water meter continuously to flush the pipes until it runs clear again. This usually takes 5-15 minutes. We recommend running the faucet closest to the water meter in your basement to minimize how far into your internal plumbing the brown water goes. Do not run a hot water tap until the water runs clear to avoid drawing the sediment into your hot water heater.
The shutdown is not expected to require a boil-water notice unless we discover larger issues that must be repaired. If that happens, WRC will notify you with an additional flyer on your front door.
Thank you for your patience with these disruptions while we work make this water system repair.