Southwest Detroit under boil water advisory

The Detroit Water & Sewerage Department (DWSD) has advised some residents in southwest Detroit to boil their drinking water, after some customers reported low pressure.

The advisory — which covers customers in an area from West Jefferson Avenue and Vernor Highway, and Miller Road to Livernois Avenue — will be ongoing until tomorrow morning at the earliest, a spokesperson for the department said.

“The requirement is we do two clean testings of water every 24 hours, or one clean testing of water twice,” Linda Clark, the DWSD spokesperson, told Metro Times.

The advisory was issued after customers in the defined area reported low pressure, caused by a 42-inch water distribution main break that occurred Wednesday morning, the department said. Loss of water pressure for any “significant” length of time should prompt precautionary measures, the department added.

In a news released issued Wednesday, DWSD said customers in the area should:

Bring water to a rolling boil for one minute;
Allow the water to cool before using;
Store cooled water in a clean container, with a cover

The boiled water should be used for just about any daily habits that involve water: drinking, brushing teeth, washing fruit and vegetables, preparing food and baby formula, making ice, and for pets.

Customers will be notified as soon as the advisory is lifted, DWSD said.