Residents in Macomb County are being asked to restrict their water usage in an effort to reduce sewer discharge into Lake St. Clair.
Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller put the notice out to residents in the wake of the rainfall in metro Detroit over the past few days.
According to Miller, many of the communities have combined sewer systems where storm water and sanitary sewage travel in the same pipes, and localized flooding is already occurring.
“This is about neighbors helping neighbors. Every gallon of water usage we can restrict now is one less gallon that may overflow the banks of the Clinton River and other waterways,” Miller said. “Rain is Mother Nature’s doing and we can’t control that, but we can control our own water usage.”
A flood watch is in effect for the area until 4 p.m.
The restrictions residents can use include:
- Reduce the length of showers
- Only flush solids in the toilet
- Only run full wash loads, or, if possible, postpone laundry until Thursday
- Don't run the water while brushing teeth
- Run full dishwasher loads only
