Holly residents are spending the week boiling their tap water after a water main break on Marion Drive triggered a village-wide boil water advisory, officials said. The Village of Holly is urging everyone to boil tap water before drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, or giving water to pets while crews scramble to fix the problem.
According to the Village of Holly, the break was discovered yesterday, and the Village Department of Public Works is on site working to repair it and "restore the water system to normal operation." The advisory is effective immediately and will stay in place until required water-quality testing confirms the system is safe to use again. Residents with questions can call the village offices at (248) 634-9571 for updates.
CBS News Detroit reports that tap water can still be used for bathing, showering, laundry and general cleaning, but people should avoid swallowing water while bathing or showering. The outlet notes the village plans to push updates through its website, social media and local news outlets as repair and testing work continues.
What residents should do
If commercially bottled water is available, officials say to use that for drinking and cooking. Otherwise, bring tap water to a full rolling boil for at least one minute before using it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends boiling water for one minute, or three minutes at very high elevations, according to the CDC. Residents are advised to use boiled or bottled water for brushing teeth, making ice, and preparing infant formula during the advisory.
When could the advisory end?
The village says it will notify residents when the advisory is lifted and stresses that testing must confirm water quality before normal use resumes. Local health guidance and county procedures typically require follow-up bacteriological sampling and laboratory processing that can take at least 24 648 hours, so advisories often remain in place until consecutive clean samples are returned, according to Oakland County.
Background
Holly has relied on similar boil orders after past water main breaks and valve repairs, with the village and county depending on system flushing and lab tests before clearing the water supply. See earlier reporting from WXYZ for examples of how those events were handled.
