Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel has declared a state of emergency because of the sewer break that has caused a massive sinkhole in Fraser.
“This has been a major sewer situation and disruption of services,” said Hackel in a news release. “Our Emergency Management team continues to receive requests for assistance from local residents and businesses who are in the affected area.”
Communities affected include the cities of Fraser, Sterling Heights, Utica and New Haven and Chesterfield, Shelby, Clinton, Harrison, Lenox, Washington, and Macomb townships, plus Selfridge Air National Guard Base.
Anyone with questions can call the Macomb County Department of Public Works at 586-493-6744.
The county is also asking the community to observe the following was conservation guidelines:
In every room that contains plumbing:
- repair leaky faucets, indoors and out.
- when cooking, peel and clean vegetables in a large bowl of water instead of under running water.
- fill the sink or basin when washing and rinsing dishes.
- only run the dishwasher when it's full.
- when buying a dishwasher, select one with a light-wash option.
- only use the garbage disposal when necessary (composting is a great alternative).
- install faucet aerators.
In the bathroom:
- take short showers instead of baths.
- turn off the water to brush teeth, shave and soap up in the shower.
- fill the sink to shave.
- repair leaky toilets. Add 12 drops of food coloring into the tank, and if color appears in the bowl one hour later, the toilet is leaking.
- install a toilet dam, faucet aerators and low-flow showerheads.
Laundry:
- run full loads of laundry.
- when purchasing a new washing machine, buy a water-saving model that can be adjusted to the load size.
