Orion Township Issues Water Emergency

by | May 10, 2026 | News

Orion Township Issues Emergency Update Following GLWA Water Main Break

PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR TODAY, SUNDAY, MAY 10 AT 10:00 AM

Orion Township Hall
2323 Joslyn Road
Orion, MI 48360

ORION TOWNSHIP, MI — The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) has confirmed that the 42-inch water transmission main supplying water to Orion Township and the Village of Lake Orion has now broken.

As a result, water pressure throughout the community is expected to steadily decline, with the possibility of a complete water outage occurring within the next several hours depending on overall system conditions and community water usage.

Given the rapidly evolving nature of this incident and the critical need to preserve remaining water supply for essential use, residents and businesses are strongly encouraged to immediately reduce water consumption. Businesses and places of worship are urged to consider suspending in-person operations and large gatherings until further notice, as high-volume water use may accelerate depletion of available system capacity.

Water Conservation Guidance

All residents are asked to restrict water use to only what is absolutely essential for:

  • Drinking and hydration
  • Basic sanitation

Residents are asked to avoid all nonessential water use, including:

  • Laundry
  • Dishwashers
  • Lawn watering
  • Extended showers
  • Any other unnecessary water consumption

Conserving water at this time may help preserve system pressure and extend access for critical community needs.

Community Support and Mutual Aid

Residents are encouraged to check on neighbors, particularly those who may need assistance, and to coordinate support where possible. Nearby communities, including Clarkston and Oxford, are currently not impacted and may be available as additional resources.

Water Distribution Sites

GLWA water distribution trucks have been deployed to the following locations to provide free bottled water to residents:

Orion Township
Wildwood Amphitheater
2700 Joslyn Court
Lake Orion, MI 48360

Village of Lake Orion
Atwater Park
426 Atwater Street
Lake Orion, MI 48362

Auburn Hills
Auburn Hills Department of Public Works
1500 Brown Road
Auburn Hills, MI 48326

Water distribution will continue for the duration of the emergency outage.

Repairs and Restoration Timeline

Repair work on the damaged transmission main is expected to be extensive. Once the pipe is replaced, the system will require disinfection, flushing, testing, and regulatory approval before service can be restored.

At this time, residents and businesses should prepare for the possibility of a prolonged outage, with current estimates indicating restoration may take approximately 10–14 days.

Ongoing Updates

Conditions remain fluid, and additional guidance will be issued as new information becomes available.

Orion Township will continue to provide updates through official communication channels as information is confirmed.