The City of Detroit is continuing to repair furnaces and water heaters at homes impacted by a massive water main break in Southwest Detroit last month.
According to Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Director Gary Brown, they have will have completed replacing more than 40 furnaces and hot water tanks by the end of the day, and have about 30 more to go. They get an average of 10 done per day.
See the latest press conference from Gary Brown in the video below
On Wednesday, the Great Lakes Water Authority said they have completed repairs on the 54-inch water transmission main that broke last month. That allowed DWSD to repair a six-inch water main break that happened after the GLWA break.
The transmission link, which is located at Beard and Rowan in southwest Detroit, ruptured in the early morning hours of February 17, flooding a large section of southwestern Detroit.
Dozens of people have been displaced while the city completes cleanup of their homes, including the installation of new water heaters and furnaces. They expect to have the rest of them repaired by next week, and then crews can work on the smaller repairs that need to be made while people are in their homes.
Watch below: Original report from February 17: Neighborhood in Southwest Detroit flooded after water main break
Brown said that another issue they were worried about was the mud and dirt that went into the sewer system with the flood. He did say that GLWA went in and learned all of the sewers in the neighborhood as we move into the rainy season.
There are still more than 150 people in a hotel while repairs continue, according to Brown, and they hope to get them into their homes in the coming days.
According to Brown, a third party administrator will be at the Patton Recreation Center on Friday to talk with people who need help with their claim process. Brown said 171 members of the community have filed a claim and there are 89 vehicles involved.
"We know people need those vehicles to get to work. We’re going to fast-track the vehicles," Brown said. Those that had flood water above the floorboard in the car will be totaled and get a fair market value for the car, while the others will be repaired, Brown said.
The transmission link, which is located at Beard and Rowan in southwest Detroit, ruptured in the early morning hours of February 17, flooding a large section of southwestern Detroit.
Dozens of people have been displaced while the city completes cleanup of their homes, including the installation of new water heaters and furnaces.
REPORT: Detroit replacing water heaters and furnaces in SW Detroit
Residents impacted by the water main break can call (313) 774-5261 to be connected to emergency resources through the City of Detroit.
