GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The work continues after a massive water main break in Grand Rapids over the weekend. FOX 17 spoke with people all around town in the area affected by the advisory about how they're hanging in there.
The Plainfield Meijer location's water section is looking beyond bare. It's a sign of a problem in a large chunk of Grand Rapids.
“Bit of a surprise yesterday,” Kevin Farhat, owner of Garage Bar in Grand Rapids, said.
Garage Bar on Ottawa Avenue is one of the many businesses in the affected area that closed up shop.
“We’re just happy this didn’t happen Thursday or Friday of last week,” Farhat said.
The water main break did put a damper on St. Paddy's Day celebrations, but it's not the end of the world, Farhat explained.
“It’s okay. It is what it is. I think everybody got their partying out of the way on Saturday. We had a record day on Saturday,” Farhat said.
The Ada location of Garage Bar remains open. City Built Brewing also remained open on Monday, able to keep operations up and running by using the equipment they use to make beer to boil water in mass quantities.
Redi Ateslager works at an in-home daycare in Grand Rapids, right in the middle of the area affected by the boil water advisory.
“It’s been kind of chaotic,” Tena's Child Care employee Redi Ateslager said.
“We’ve had a lot of bottled water that the kids are drinking from. For meals, like breakfast, snack and lunch, we try not to touch the water at all,” Ateslager said.
Drinking fountains at Grand Rapids Community College are closed up.
FOX 17 is also in the effected area. This widespread issue is only just beginning, with the advisory not ending until at least Wednesday.
The city of Grand Rapids has been responding to people's questions on social media. Residents can also call 311 with their questions.
Meanwhile, Godwin Schools says families and staff members living within the impacted area are invited to connect with their community school coordinator at jose.rodriguez@godwinschools.org if they need water.
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