The danger of tap-water contamination has spurred a boil water advisory, starting Monday, across a wide area of Oakland County, affecting nearly 260,000 people in Bloomfield Township, Farmington Hills, Novi, Walled Lake and other communities.
It’s a public health advisory given by government officials when a city or community’s water system could be contaminated by bacteria.
People are advised to boil tap water or use bottled water for drinking, brushing teeth, washing fruits and vegetables, preparing food or making ice.
The boil-water advisory affecting 12 Oakland County communities will likely continue until at least late Friday evening, authorities said.
Repairs to the large, failing water main on 14 Mile Road between Farmington and Drake roads are estimated to take until Wednesday night, before two rounds of water-quality testing bring the earliest possible end to the emergency on "late Friday evening," according to a Great Lakes Water Authority news release.
Other communities, including West Bloomfield and Bloomfield Township, have already seen water pressure restored, and may finish the process of water quality testing before others.
All schools in the West Bloomfield, Bloomfield Hills, Walled Lake and Novi school districts were closed Tuesday, in addition to portions of the Farmington and Birmingham public school districts.
The West Bloomfield district updated its web page late Tuesday afternoon to say school would be in session Wednesday.
In addition to school districts, a number of private schools – including Detroit Catholic Central in Novi and Brother Rice High School in Bloomfield Township – and some preschools were closed Tuesday.
According to the advisory, you should bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water.