Mayor Mike Duggan tours water main break damage in Southwest Detroit
For some families impacted by the water main break in Southwest Detroit, they are still weeks away from moving back into their homes.
Mayor Mike Duggan gave an update on repairs and recovery efforts Tuesday afternoon. Duggan says the water main replacement line has gone in. Crews are sealing and have work to do to make it operational.
He says once that's done, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department will go in and repair the secondary break, and DTE Energy will repair the gas line.
"Right now, the focus is, let's get these houses safe. Let's get them restored. Let's get families back from the hotels," Duggan said.
The mayor says it will be a six-step process that includes an inspection, debris removal, sanitizing and cleaning, replacing hot water heaters and furnaces, a final inspection, and moving families back into their homes.
"I hope we get to a point where every single person knows exactly which step they're at and what time, what the date is they could expect," Duggan said.
The city has identified six steps it will take to get that work done. It will be a lengthy process for some, but the city says they want to do it right.
"First we have to do an inspection. Second, we have to remove the debris from the basement, third, we have to go in and sanitize and clean. Fourth, we have to go in and replace furnaces and hot water heaters; fifth, we have to bring the family through for a final inspection; and sixth, we have to move them from the hotel and back into the house," Duggan said.
He says that process will have to be repeated hundreds of times, but he has instructed his staff to handle each case with care as if it were their own home.
Jimmy Rios is a local plumber and Southwest Detroit native. He's been doing everything he can to help including setting up a supply distribution site just steps away from impacted homes.
"Since day one, it's been it started just door to door, knocking, asking if they needed a hand," Rios said.
Rios says the big concern homeowners have now is what the warmer temperatures are doing to the plumbing.
"These houses that were basically freezers are now refrigerators. What happens is that ice plug in the pipe starts to melt, and the water under pressure, and especially in homes where individuals have vacated, it starts to spray," Rios said.
With another cold snap expected this weekend, there are things people can do to reduce the risk of pipes bursting.
"I've been saying, if you can get a ride, if you have access, get to your house, shut off the meter, shut off the water at the meter, and open up the pipe. What that all means, and just to allow that, doesn't guarantee that there's not going to be any kind of pipe breaking, but what that does guarantee is that those lines aren't charged and that it will not spray in their absence," Rios said.
Meanwhile, the mayor says five city contractors should begin putting in water heaters and furnaces this week.
"If they can do one to two houses a day with the furnaces and hot water heaters, we will be done under the six weeks, and we'll have a better feel for that a week from now," Duggan said.
Duggan says about 200 homes need work. He says 58 homes are already through phase two, and 25 have moved on to phase three. He says he understands the frustration some homeowners may feel, but he wants them to know the city is doing everything it can to correct this situation.
"If you live here and you have been displaced from your home, this seems like it is an extremely slow process. For those who are making sure that every single house is restored properly, we don't want to rush and take shortcuts," Duggan said.
