NOVI, Mich. (WXYZ) — A massive water main break on 14 Mile Road in Novi forced numerous businesses in the city and surrounding areas to close Thursday, but some establishments are finding creative ways to stay open while following safety protocols.
Casey's of Walled Lake is among the few businesses managing to continue operations despite the water disruption. Owner Nichole Guizar said the morning news of the break required immediate operational changes.
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"When you hear about that in the morning, it definitely gets you up and going earlier because your standard operations have to change in order for business to continue on that day," Guizar said.
The restaurant has implemented several precautionary measures to serve customers safely. They've switched to bottled beverages and removed certain menu items.
"Our pop guns are not being used. We have went and bought bottled water, pop, soda, any type of mixers that we do. As we get busier throughout the evening, we're going to need those things for mixed drinks," Guizar said.
Soups and salads are temporarily off the menu as the business prepares for an extended disruption.
"We don't know how long this situation is going to last. We hope the GLWA is going to get it under control and fixed in a timely manner, but it's kind of a waiting game to be totally honest," Guizar said.
Related video: Novi water main break forces school closures, threatens homecoming weekend activities
Novi Coffee and Tea also remains open with modified operations. Owner Bob O'Donnell said backup pumps are keeping the business running, though they've had to scale back their offerings.
"We're serving most of our menu. We unfortunately don't have our hot espresso drinks. We do have our blended espresso drinks, the frappe-type coffee drinks," O'Donnell said.
Both businesses are strictly following Oakland County Health Department guidelines during the water emergency. Despite the challenges, owners express gratitude for their customers' continued support.
"We are here, we are a community and we are thankful that people are still able to join us," Guizar said.
The Great Lakes Water Authority is working to repair the water main break, though no timeline has been provided for restoration.
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