Ann Arbor, Michigan Water Outage Today
Live Ann Arbor water outage reports, City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services’s emergency line and the system’s federal record.
Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
No water outage reports in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the last 24 hours
Who supplies water in Ann Arbor?
Drinking water in Ann Arbor, Michigan is supplied by City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services, which handles outages, main breaks and boil water notices for the city.
Public water systems in Michigan are regulated by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE).
To report no water or a main break, call City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services at 734-794-6426.
Ann Arbor water system at a glance
Federal records show a single public water system behind the taps in Ann Arbor, with about 123,851 people on its mains. Customers know it as City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services; the name on your bill is the one to call.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water system in EPA records | Ann Arbor (MI0000220) |
| Run by | Local government |
| People served | 123,851 through 26,050 service connections |
| Source of the water | Surface water (rivers, lakes or reservoirs) |
| Active facilities listed by EPA | 2 surface intakes, 3 active wells, 1 treatment point, 6 storage tanks and reservoirs, 7 pump facilities |
| State regulator | Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) |
| Health-based violations since 2015 | 0 |
| Highest lead result (90th percentile) | 3 ppb, action level 15 ppb |
Source: EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System).
What feeds the taps in Ann Arbor
Tap water in Ann Arbor starts as surface water. Ann Arbor takes it from Huron River At Barton Pond and runs it through treatment before it reaches the mains. Treatment points named in EPA's facility list include Treatment Plant. After treatment the water is held in 6 storage tanks and reservoirs and pushed uphill by 7 pump facilities; that storage is the buffer that keeps taps running for a few hours after a pump or main fails.
What this means in an outage. Because the water is drawn from open surface sources, it has to be filtered and disinfected continuously. A plant problem therefore hits everyone at once, unlike a main break, which only dries up the blocks on either side of the damaged pipe.
Main breaks and shutoffs in Ann Arbor: the usual causes
Water outages are local, so the likely cause depends on weather, pipe age and the grid. For Ann Arbor, these stand out.
- Freezing weather. Ann Arbor sees about 141 days a year with a low at or below 32°F, and 48 days at or below 20°F. The coldest morning in the 2015 through 2025 record came on February 15, 2015. The longest stretch with highs that never rose above freezing ran 31 days, ending February 21, 2021. Frozen service lines and meters cause single-address outages, while ground frost and thaw cycles crack older mains and produce the street-wide breaks.
- Older neighborhoods and pipe. 48.2% of occupied homes in Ann Arbor were built before 1970, against 35.5% nationally. Streets of that age tend to sit on cast iron and early steel mains that are near or past their design life, which is where most breaks start.
- Storm-driven power loss. Thunderstorm wind, hail and tornado reports in Washtenaw County number 158 since 2015. Pump stations and treatment plants that depend on DTE Energy run on the electric grid, so a storm that downs power lines can lower water pressure even when no pipe is damaged.
- Digging and utility work. Street projects, fiber installation and excavation near buried pipe regularly cut mains in Ann Arbor with no warning, usually on a day with perfectly ordinary weather.
- Scheduled work, or a fault inside your own home. Utilities warn customers before a planned shutoff. If nothing was announced and the neighbors are fine, the cause is probably your shutoff valve, meter or pressure regulator.
How weather strains the Ann Arbor water system
Main break season in Ann Arbor runs from late fall into early spring, with the coldest stretch around December through February.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Days a year at or below 32°F | 140.9 |
| Days a year at or below 20°F | 47.5 |
| Days a year with a high at or below 32°F | 43.3 |
| Days a year at or above 95°F | 0.2 |
| Days a year at or above 100°F | 0 |
| Days a year with an inch of rain or more | 3.5 |
| Average annual precipitation | 35.2 in |
| Wettest year | 2019 (39.6 in) |
| Driest year | 2022 (27.8 in) |
| Coldest day in the record | February 15, 2015 |
| Hottest day in the record | July 23, 2016 |
Source: NASA POWER daily reanalysis (MERRA-2) for the city center, 2015–2025.
Freezing days peak in January, averaging 29.5 a year. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
The wettest year was 2019 with 39.6 inches; the driest was 2022 with 27.8. Source: NASA POWER reanalysis, 2015–2025.
These counts come from a gridded reanalysis, which smooths out single-day extremes and can differ by a few degrees from an airport thermometer. Use them to compare seasons and years, not as official station records.
Is Ann Arbor water safe? Boil notices and EPA record
Since 2015, EPA's record for Ann Arbor shows no health-based violations. It also lists 1 monitoring or reporting entry that is about paperwork rather than water quality, such as a missed sample or a late report.
Most recent entries, all monitoring or reporting:
- November 2016: A missed or late monitoring or reporting requirement (surface water treatment and turbidity) It is marked resolved.
| Type of violation | Health-based | Monitoring and other |
|---|---|---|
| Surface water treatment and turbidity | 0 | 1 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
When Ann Arbor loses pressure after a break or a failed test, City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services asks affected customers to boil water for drinking and cooking. The notice ends only after samples come back clean, which usually takes one to two days after service returns, and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) supervises the process.
Lead service lines and old plumbing in Ann Arbor
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result filed for Ann Arbor is 2.3 ppb (2023). The federal action level is 15 ppb, so that result is far from the limit.
Highest result on file: 3 ppb. Source: EPA SDWIS.
48.2% of occupied homes in Ann Arbor were built before 1970, and lead service lines and solder stayed legal until the federal ban in 1986. After any outage that disturbs the pipes, run the cold tap 30 seconds to 2 minutes before drinking, and ask City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services about its lead service line inventory.
How long a water outage lasts in Ann Arbor
Most repairs of an ordinary main break in Ann Arbor take half a day once the crew is on site. Bigger mains, deep bury and busy roads stretch that to a day or more.
| Situation | Typical time |
|---|---|
| Planned shutoff | A few hours inside a window announced in advance |
| Ordinary main break | About 4 to 8 hours after the crew is on site |
| Large or deep main | 1 to 3 days |
| Low pressure after a pump or power failure | Hours to a day, once power or the pump is restored |
| Boil water notice after service returns | One to two days while samples are tested |
| Frozen service line or meter | Hours if you can thaw it, longer if the pipe has split |
Source: Utility practice, EPA and state boil water guidance.
For a break that affects many customers, City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services usually posts an estimated restoration time. When you call, ask the dispatcher what the crew has told them.
How much water to keep on hand in Ann Arbor
Census figures put the typical Ann Arbor household at about 2.4 people. At one gallon per person per day that is 7 gallons for three days or 34 gallons for a two-week supply.
- 54.5% of households rent. Tell your landlord or property manager about a leak or outage right away, since the shutoff valve may be theirs.
- A standard water heater is a ready-made 40-gallon reserve. Shut off its power or gas, open a hot tap somewhere in the house, and draw from the drain valve.
- Fill a tub or large containers early for toilets, cleaning and handwashing, and store drinking water separately in clean bottles.
How Ann Arbor compares with nearby water systems
| City | System | People served | Source | Health violations since 2015 | Highest lead (ppb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor, MI | Ann Arbor | 123,851 | Surface | 0 | 3 |
| Livonia, MI | Livonia | 96,942 | Bought (surface) | 0 | 16.7 |
| Dearborn, MI | Dearborn | 109,976 | Bought (surface) | 0 | 12.6 |
| Detroit, MI | City of Detroit | 633,218 | Bought (surface) | 0 | 12.7 |
| Warren, MI | City of Warren | 134,056 | Bought (surface) | 0 | 14 |
Source: EPA SDWIS.
Water outage pages for nearby cities
Ann Arbor boil water notices and main breaks
City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services posts Ann Arbor boil water notices, main breaks and planned shutoffs on its own site and alerts. What a notice requires: water outage guide.
Ann Arbor quick answers about water service
Who do I call about no water in Ann Arbor?
City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services at 734-794-6426, day or night. Use 911 only if a main break is flooding property or roads.
What is the source of Ann Arbor tap water?
EPA records for the city water system say Ann Arbor relies on surface water. It draws from Huron River At Barton Pond.
Is Ann Arbor tap water safe to drink?
EPA lists no health-based violations for Ann Arbor since 2015, and its latest 90th-percentile lead result is 2.3 ppb against the 15 ppb action level. Follow any boil water notice until the utility says it is over.
When is water main break season in Ann Arbor?
Winter, mostly. Ann Arbor sees roughly 141 days a year at or below freezing, and the peak runs December through February. Expect breaks to cluster just after sharp temperature swings.
Why did the water pressure drop at my house in Ann Arbor?
A sudden drop usually means a break or valve problem nearby, while a slow decline in the evening points to demand. If the whole street is affected, tell City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services; if not, look at your own regulator and shutoff.
How long does a boil water notice last in Ann Arbor?
Plan on one to two days after pressure is back. City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services samples the water, waits for clean lab results and then lifts the notice, with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) overseeing the steps.
How many gallons of emergency water does a Ann Arbor family need?
Plan on one gallon per person per day for at least three days. The average Ann Arbor household has about 2.4 people, which works out to roughly 7 gallons for three days and 34 for two weeks.
Should I worry about lead in Ann Arbor water?
Lead pipe was legal until 1986, and 48.2% of occupied homes in Ann Arbor predate 1970, so it is possible in older neighborhoods. City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services can tell you what your service line is made of; a lead-certified filter is a sensible precaution if you are unsure.
Where can I see water outages in Ann Arbor?
There is no pipe-level map on this site. The report counter above reflects what residents of Ann Arbor have sent in over the last day, and City of Ann Arbor Water Treatment Services has the official word on main breaks, planned shutoffs and boil notices.
More outage pages for Ann Arbor and nearby
Other outage types in Ann Arbor
Water Service Outages in cities near Ann Arbor
- Livonia, MI 21 mi · City of Livonia Water & Sewer
- Dearborn, MI 29 mi · City of Dearborn Water Department
- Detroit, MI 36 mi · Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD)
- Troy, MI 38 mi · City of Troy Public Works – Water
- Warren, MI 40 mi · City of Warren Water & Sewerage Department
- Sterling Heights, MI 42 mi · City of Sterling Heights Public Works – Water
Report counts are user-submitted; other figures name their official source. How our data works
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