HARPER WOODS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Water main breaks have become an almost daily occurrence across metro Detroit's east side communities this winter, with cities reporting dramatically higher numbers compared to previous years.
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Harper Woods has experienced 14 water main breaks since the beginning of 2026, nearly half of the 38 breaks the city saw in all of 2025. Since January 1st, Roseville has dealt with 40 breaks, while Eastpointe has recorded 25.
The latest break occurred Thursday on Hollywood Street in Harper Woods, leaving residents without running water for several hours. For Ashley Manuel, it marked the second water main issue on her block in less than a week.
"Very inconvenient. Very much so," Manuel said.
The first break happened across the street from her home, creating water quality concerns that worried her 4-year-old daughter.
"My daughter, my four-year-old, the first water main break, she was like, ' The water's coming out yellow, the water's coming out yellow. So every day I'm like, well, did you wash your hands? She's like the water's coming out yellow, and I am like, oh Jesus," Manuel said.
Neighbor Kim Kozakowski believes the frequency of breaks signals a larger problem.
"They should be doing something about it. This is not normal," Kozakowski said. "The infrastructure needs to be, you know, kept up."
Harper Woods City Manager John Szymanski attributes the surge to aging infrastructure combined with prolonged cold temperatures.
"Because of the aging infrastructure and the temperature, and especially the long temperature that we've experienced recently, yes, we are experiencing a lot of water main breaks," Szymanski said.
The city is working proactively to address the problem by using cameras to inspect underground pipes and repair them before they fail.
"We've spent millions of dollars on the infrastructure, and that will save us tens of millions of dollars the next ten years moving forward," Szymanski said.
The problem extends beyond Harper Woods. Crews in Eastpointe raced Wednesday to repair a break that flooded streets, while Roseville workers fixed their 40th break of the year the same day. City managers across the region point to aging infrastructure as the common culprit.
Despite the inconvenience, Manuel expressed appreciation for the repair crews working to restore service.
"Shout out to the crews. I appreciate their service," Manuel said.
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