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EL, Meridian residents asked to conserve water after main damage

Water Faucet
Public Domain
East Lansing-Meridian Water and Sewer Authority Manager Joel Martinez says though the damage was minor, it impacted the system’s ability to maintain enough pressure to pump water into the distribution system.

Updated on January 12 at 2:47 p.m. ET

Update: The City of East Lansing, Meridian Township and the East Lansing-Meridian Water and Sewer Authority (ELMWSA) have lifted the conserve water notice as of Thursday afternoon.

Original Story:

East Lansing and Meridian Township residents are being asked to conserve water following damage to a water transmission line on Tuesday.

East Lansing-Meridian Water and Sewer Authority Manager Joel Martinez says though the damage was minor, it impacted the system’s ability to maintain enough pressure to pump water into the distribution system.

Martinez says there’s a few things affected customers should do while repairs are underway.

“We’re mainly targeting homeowners; seeing if people can maybe not take a bath for a day or two; take shorter showers, maybe hold off on that load of laundry or limit dish washing for a day or two,” Martinez said.

Martinez says the Lansing Board of Water and Light is assisting in providing water inter-connectivity and safe drinking water.

“It’s sort of a mutual aid agreement that allow us to supply water to them in case of an emergency, or them to supply water to us in case of an emergency,” he explained. “And we did that just to make sure that we were going to maintain system pressure so that we didn’t have to issue a boil water notice or have any unsafe water in the system.”

Martinez says he’s hoping full service can be restored by late Wednesday.

Kevin Lavery served as a general assignment reporter and occasional local host for Morning Edition and All Things Considered before retiring in 2023.
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