Water Pressure Returned to Walled Lake Following 48-inch Main Break
WATER PRESSURES IN NOVI AND WALLED LAKE NEAR NORMAL LEVELS; DAMAGED PIPE SECTION HAS BEEN REMOVED
• Water pressures in Novi and Walled Lake are currently near normal levels
• Boil Water Advisory remains in effect for Novi and Walled Lake; Residents/businesses should follow Boil Water Advisory guidelines as water returns
• Crews have removed the damaged section of main and are preparing for the installation of the new steel main
• Installation of the new steel main section is expected to be completed on Monday
DETROIT – At approximately 4:30 a.m. Saturday, March 7, 2026, the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) discovered a break on a 48-inch water transmission main on 14 Mile Road at Verona, which is between Drake and Farmington Roads in Farmington Hills.
After excavating the break site, Field Service crews and emergency contractors removed a 20 foot section of damaged main and are preparing for the installation of the new steel main. It is anticipated that the installation should be completed by the end of the day on Monday.
Water pressures have returned to near normal levels in Novi and Walled Lake. However, both communities remain under a boil water advisory until two rounds of water quality testing are completed and come back clear. When water pressure is restored, if the community is still under a Boil Water Advisory, its residents and businesses should follow the actions noted in this FAQ on Boil Water Advisories.
With pressures now stabilized, flushing and sampling activities that are required to lift the boil water advisory have begun. The current target for lifting the boil water advisories in Novi and Walled Lake is mid-week. As soon as more specific timelines are available, they will be communicated.
GLWA will share more information as it becomes available.
Jeffrey E. Small
Chief Information OfficerJeffrey E. Small has served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Great Lakes Water Authority since August 2016. In this role, he provides strategic IT leadership, customer service, innovation, and information security for the regional authority. Jeff is adept at leveraging technology in conjunction with business process re-engineering to improve productivity and internal efficiencies across the utility.
Jeff brings 30 years of information technology, project management, and business process experience to GLWA. Immediately prior to joining the GLWA team, he served for four years as Deputy Chief Information Officer at Wayne County, Michigan. Prior to his work at Wayne County, Mr. Small held IT leadership roles at several global companies in a cross-section of industries, including retail, sourcing, brand management and consumer products.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from The George Washington University and an MBA in Computer Information Systems from Baker College. Jeff also serves on several nonprofit boards related to technology in both the public and private sector included currently serving as Board secretary for the Michigan Government Information Sciences (Mi-GMIS) organization whose membership includes IT leaders from the State and local governments throughout Michigan. Jeff was named 2019 IT Professional of the Year by the Michigan chapter of the Government Management Information Sciences (Mi-GMIS) and was recognized as a 2020 Special District Program Award Winner from Government Technology magazine in the Technology and Innovation Leadership category.