By Katrease Stafford, originally posted on November 13, 2016

(UPDATE: The boil water advisory in Troy has been extended through at least Tuesday night.)

A large water main break in Troy early Sunday triggered a massive boil water alert in the city and nearby Rochester Hills, shut down restaurant service at parts of the Somerset Collection and caused flooding and a road closure.

Troy police said in a news release that the break, which impacted an 84-inch Great Lakes Water Authority main, happened about 3 a.m. on South Boulevard, west of Dequindre Road near the Sanctuary Lake Golf Course.

Authorities  shut down South Boulevard between Dequindre and John R  because of damage that has made the street impassable.

The break also caused water pressure in sections of Troy, as well as parts of Rochester Hills, to drop, raising the risk for bacterial contamination in the system and prompting the boil water advisory. The advisory, which is expected to last through at least Monday, impacts thousands of households.

GLWA spokeswoman  Amanda Abukhader said Sunday that she is not sure of what caused the break but said repairs began this afternoon. GLWA is a regional water authority that provides water and sewer services to millions of customers across Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and other counties.

“We’re working really closely with the municipalities to make sure everything is good to go,” Abukhader said. “We’re working on the repairs. We’re expecting the repairs to take around three to four days, and usually it takes a couple days to test the water.”

In Troy, the boil water advisory covers an area from Rochester Road to Adams Road and 14 Mile to South Boulevard. The east side of Troy is served by a separate 54-inch water main and has not been affected, though that could change, according to the Troy Police Department.

In Rochester Hills, the area south of Walton Boulevard from Adams Road to Dequindre Road is also under a boil water advisory, according to an announcement posted on the city’s Facebook page. It wasn’t immediately clear how long Rochester Hills’ advisory will be in effect.

In the posting, Rochester Hills officials said the advisory was issued due to a drop in pressure in the Great Lakes Water Authority water supply and the possibility that bacterial contamination may have occurred in the water system. According to the posting, corrective measures are currently under way to correct the situation.

The boil water notice will remain in effect until results from the sampling verify the water is safe to drink. Customers will be advised when the boil water advisory has been lifted.

“The GLWA is working to get pressure restored, and water staff will be taking other remedial actions such as flushing and collecting bacteriological samples from around the system,” the post said. “The samples will be collected to determine that the water quality meets the state drinking water standards. We will inform you when tests show no bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. We anticipate resolving the problem within 24 hours.”

Pontiac did not have information about any impact to its city listed on its website.

Meanwhile, all restaurants and food service establishments at the Somerset Collection North in Troy were closed Sunday, according to a post on the mall’s Facebook page. Mall officials, in the post, said it was to “ensure the health and safety of our guests.”

According to the post, the restaurants will reopen when officials receive further notice from Troy officials. Somerset’s retail stores were open Sunday, along with  restaurants and food service establishments at Somerset Collection South.

The Troy police department is urging all residents to reduce water consumption throughout the city to help maintain water pressure, the release states.