Portsmouth Township Fire Dept. crew inspects fire hydrants and fields for the broken water main Sunday, Aug. 10. Teams were out all over the county searching for the break. Bay City could be out of water by Monday if it's not found. (Yfat Yossifor | The Bay City Times)

BAY CITY, MI — As Bay City crews continue searching for a broken water main, officials say the city's water system is losing 5 million gallons every 12 hours.

Dave Harran, the city's public works director, has called the water emergency urgent and is asking residents and businesses to only use water for purposes of public health and safety. City officials are also asking residents to limit the amount of water they use to sustain life through drinking, food preparation and personal hygiene.

The water reserves could be empty by Monday if the water main break isn't found, Harran has said.

Harran estimates the system has already lost about 8 million to 10 million gallons since Saturday afternoon when crews were alerted of the major water main break.

Crews searched through the night for the source of a broken water main, but have come up empty. On Sunday, Aug. 10, crews across Bay County mobilized in an effort to strategize their search plan.

At about 12:30 p.m. Sunday, crews were going to inspect the four mains that cross the Saginaw River. A crew is en route to the Veterans Memorial Park Boat Launch where they will turn off the water valve to see if there is an increase in water back at the water plant, said Gary Korthals, a city water and sewer supervisor.

If the break is under the river, it would be a major repair project for the city, said Korthals.

"Oh man, that would be big," he said. "We'll cross that bridge if and when we get there."

Officials are also asking the public for help. Anyone who sees water in a place where it is usually not seen is asked to call 989-686-8300.

Businesses in downtown Bay City and in the county — including laundromats — continued operating, despite the emergency being issued.

"I guess it didn't faze me at all," said Savana West, a Bay City resident who was doing her laundry at Totally Clean Coin Laundry, 2608 Center.

West said she read about the emergency, but that she had already planned to do her laundry.

"If we are going to run out of water tomorrow, I'm going to need clean clothes for the rest of the week."

Harran said the emergency is issued for all of Bay City, but it's not being enforced.

"We obviously can't go around enforcing it," he said. "But we are asking residents and businesses to take these steps in an effort to assist us."