NOVI, Mich. (WXYZ) — A major water main break on 14 Mile Road west of M-5 in Novi has forced widespread school closures and left residents scrambling for basic water services.
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Novi Public Schools canceled classes at the high school and other area schools after losing water pressure, making it impossible to operate bathrooms and maintain sanitary conditions. The closure has created uncertainty around this weekend's homecoming festivities.
"So I think it was just probably really chaotic for a lot of parents this morning," said Katheryn McGuire, whose daughter is a senior at Novi High School.
McGuire received notification around 8:15 a.m. on Thursday that school was canceled due to the water main break. Her home still has water, so she's hosting 5 seniors whose families are affected by the outage.
"I think, right now, I have 5 seniors at my house. We still have water where we live, but the others don't, so our house is just kind of a good place for people, for them to hang out," McGuire said.
School officials say they cannot operate facilities for extended periods without functioning toilets and running water. The timing has parents concerned about homecoming weekend activities.
"The homecoming parade and game is tomorrow, and the dance is on Saturday at the high school. So I think there's some, a little anticipation that, that this is going to be ready, so they don't cancel again tomorrow, or worst case scenario would be Saturday," McGuire said.
Novi Community Schools Superintendent Ben Mainka says homecoming events depend entirely on whether the water main gets repaired in time.
"We want to prioritize that event if we can, but we also have to be able to in a way that can be comfortable, sanitary, and safe for everybody," Mainka said.
Other affected schools include Detroit Catholic Central, Meadowbrook Elementary, and Walled Lake Elementary.
The city's Department of Public Works is providing non-drinkable water for residents to use for toilet flushing through a drive-through service.
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