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Sylvan Township water safe to use as normal after treatment plant break-in

SYLVAN TOWNSHIP WATER TREATMENT PLANT
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SYLVAN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — Water safety concerns in Sylvan Township have been investigated and resolved after a break-in at the treatment plant earlier this week, officials said on Wednesday.

Because of the break-in, a Do Not Drink Water Advisory was issued for the area as a precautionary measure. About 300 homes were under the advisory and were told boiling water would not do the trick.

The township dropped off cases of water to impacted neighborhoods.

Watch our previous story about the break-in and advisory issued in the video below:

Do Not Drink Water Advisory issued in Sylvan Township after water plant break-in

Inside the plant, controls, some water valves and the scale that weighs chemicals added to water were tampered with.

“It's very scary because it’s your water system," Robert Scull, the Sylvan Township Department of Public Works Supervisor, previously told 7 News Detroit. "It’s got to be as secure as possible.”

Skull said workers at the plant noticed someone had broken into and vandalized the facility.

Sylvan Township water treatment plant break-in

“The main control panel here... these are all the breakers for the plants. A lot of them were flipped," Scull previously explained. "Equipment that’s offline was switched into auto.”

We're told samples taken this week meet state water quality standards.

Officials say residents can resume normal use but are encouraged to flush home plumbing systems and appliances.

Michigan State Police say they found the suspect, a 33-year-old Belleville man and arrested him on scene. He cut the cord to the cameras, so it’s unclear when he broke in or why, but there was a makeshift bed found in a loft area.