Farms Addresses 4 Water Main Breaks in Matter of Days

In a matter of days, crews from the water department have repaired four broken water mains.

One in the 200 block of Lewiston happened Sunday but couldn't be repaired until Wednesday because the same block suffered a gas leak that had to be repaired first. 

The most recent series of water main breaks in the Farms has been typical this winter, which Water Superintendent Scott Homminga described as one of the worst years he's seen in his nine years with the department. 

In addition to the break on Lewiston, the Farms crew repaired breaks on Fisher Road, Colonial Court and Lothrop Road, Homminga said. 

The ever changing weather is to blame, he said, noting the extreme changes in the temperature cause the frost underground to actually move the ground. The movement can be enough to cause a water main break or other problems. 

Just last week,  Director of Public Works Brett Smith told council members the exact issue was causing the newly paved Shores portion of Vernier Road to appear wavy. A councilman suggested Smith look into a warranty on the paved roadway but Smith said the wavy appearance is typical for new roads that undergo extreme temperature fluctuations because the frost underneath actually causes the ground to move or shift.

The Farms is not alone, however, as water main breaks have been a problem throughout southeast Michigan this winter. Some have clogged main roads to the point they've been impassable to motorists. 

One resident said the gas leak was fixed Tuesday, and DTE Energy spokesman John Austerberry confirmed it was fixed but said little detail is available after the fact as crews move on to the next job. 

The water main break, which flooded the front yard of one home, was repaired Wednesday, Homminga said. About 1.5 million gallons of water are used daily in the Farms during the winter, Homminga said, and despite having to wait to fix the water main break, the numbers have not really changed. 

Homminga said the recent water main breaks are not related to the Farms going on to the Detroit water system. While technically such a change means the flow of water is changed and there is potential for problems at first, the transition was smooth, he said. 

The Farms and the City of Grosse Pointe moved onto the Detroit water system Jan. 28 and will remain on it through mid-March while crews complete maintenance and upkeep work to the Farms Water Filtration Plant on Moross Road.