Novi City Council Receives Update on Water Main Break Repairs

Officials gave an update this week on repairs to the water main that broke in September and caused major disruptions across several Oakland County communities.

During the Oct. 6 Novi City Council meeting, representatives from the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) briefed council members about the water main break that happened on Sept. 25. The incident on 14 Mile Road affected Commerce Township, Novi, Walled Lake, and Wixom. Many residents experienced boil water advisories, little to no water pressure, and area schools were forced to close.

Repair Timeline

GLWA provided a detailed timeline of the repair process:

Sept. 25:

• 6:30 a.m.: 42-inch water main broke
• 8 a.m.: GLWA arrived on site
• 9 a.m.: GLWA began isolating the break
• 11 p.m.: A 16-inch insertion valve was installed

Sept. 26:

• 3 a.m.: Novi started receiving water flow again
• 1:30 p.m.: GLWA isolated the break site
• 2 p.m.: The break site was dewatered and repairs began

Sept. 27:

• Damaged 42-inch pipe was removed and a new section was installed
• The break site was inspected and a bacterial sample was tested

Sept. 28:

• Repairs continued, including inspections and valve replacements

Sept. 29:

• 42-inch water main repairs continued
• Additional water testing was conducted

Sept. 30:

• Boil water advisory was lifted in Novi
• Valve maintenance and water main inspections continued

Oct. 1:

• Repairs to the valve serving Walled Lake were completed
• Review of initial inspection data began

Oct. 2:

• Boil water advisory was lifted for Walled Lake and Commerce Township after further inspections

Oct. 3:

• Boil water advisory was lifted for Wixom as more water quality samples were tested

Oct. 4:

• Water quality samples from Walled Lake and Commerce Township were confirmed safe

Road Closures Continue

14 Mile Road remains closed to through traffic between Welch and M-5. Another section between Beachwalk Drive and Novi Road is also closed while GLWA crews work on a 36-inch valve along this stretch.

Ongoing Water Conservation Requests

Novi officials are still urging residents to conserve water and avoid using irrigation systems unless they rely on a well. City officials explained that conserving water helps maintain water pressure while repairs continue. Excessive water use could lead to a drop in pressure and the return of a boil water advisory.

Wixom officials also said that the water conservation advisory remains in effect, as additional repairs are still needed. According to GLWA, these repairs are expected to be finished by Oct. 14 at the earliest.