Kalamazoo City Emergency Management

09/24/2026

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐲: Please see the message from the City of Kalamazoo regarding a precautionary boil water advisory affecting some residents in the Wheaton and Axtell areas beginning September 28. The advisory is related to an upcoming scheduled water system reconstruction project.

City of Kalamazoo, September 24, 2026 – The City of Kalamazoo is in the process of abandoning the existing water main on Newton Court at Wheaton Avenue as part of the Newton Court Reconstruction Project. This work is scheduled for Monday, September 28, 2026, starting at approximately 8:00 a.m., at which time the water will be shut off. The work will result in a temporary loss of pressure and consequently, a precautionary boil water advisory is being issued in cooperation with the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department for all water intended for drinking or ingestion or any consumptive uses within the affected area. See provided map. Includes only the City of Kalamazoo Water Customers.

This advisory is precautionary only; there have not been any confirmed tests showing bacteria present in the water main at the location of the infrastructure repair. Initial sampling results will be available within 24 hours of its collection and the final set within 48 hours. It is expected that the advisory will be lifted within 72 hours (October 1).

Municipal water customers in the affected area may use bottled water for consumptive purposes or boil their tap water for two minutes prior to use for drinking or other ingestion. No special precautionary measures are necessary for water used for personal hygiene.

09/21/2026

The Boil Water Advisory has been lifted for Kalamazoo water customers.

BOIL WATER ADVISORY LIFTED

The Boil Water Advisory issued September 19 for the Low and High pressure districts has been lifted today, Monday, September 21.

All bacteriological samples collected within the affected area have passed testing for E. coli and total coliform bacteria, confirming that the water is safe to drink. Customers in the previously affected area can now use City water normally for drinking, cooking, and all other purposes.

After a boil water advisory is lifted, we recommend flushing the plumbing in your home or facility and replacing water filter cartridges before returning to normal use.

Full details:
https://www.kalamazoocity.org/Residents/Water-Sewer-Service/Boil-Water-Advisories/Boil-Water-Advisory-LOW-and-HIGH-Pressure-Districts

View the affected area map:
https://gis.kalamazoocity.org/portal/apps/experiencebuilder/experience/?id=4ca37d0e376243ad870fc6b8662840a0&page=Page-2&views=View-7

Flushing instructions:
https://www.kalamazoocity.org/files/assets/public/v/2/public-services/household-flushing.pdf

09/20/2026

Please read the new information on the Boil Water Advisory. There is a searchable map to determine if you are in the affected area. Crews are working hard to get customers back to full service as quickly as possible.

Boil Water Advisory Update – Sunday, September 20

The latest round of water testing is complete. Samples analyzed this morning showed no detections of E. coli and no detections of coliform group bacteria.

Public Services staff are continuing to collect additional samples that will be analyzed over the next 24 hours. Crews are also continuing to flush the water system and conduct additional system checks.

The Boil Water Advisory remains in effect at this time. If all samples analyzed Monday morning also show no detections of E. coli or coliform bacteria, the City expects to lift the advisory on Monday, September 21.

Until the advisory is officially lifted, customers in the affected area should continue to use bottled water or boil tap water for at least two minutes before using it for drinking, making ice, preparing food, brushing teeth, washing dishes, or other consumptive purposes.

The advisory affects many City of Kalamazoo water customers, but not all customers. The affected area includes 19 of Kalamazoo’s 22 neighborhoods, the City of Portage north of I-94, and portions of Kalamazoo, Comstock, Cooper, and Pavilion townships.

Check your address on the searchable map: https://gis.kalamazoocity.org/portal/apps/experiencebuilder/experience/?id=4ca37d0e376243ad870fc6b8662840a0&page=Page-2&views=View-7
Full advisory information and updates: https://www.kalamazoocity.org/Residents/Water-Sewer-Service/Boil-Water-Advisories/Boil-Water-Advisory-LOW-and-HIGH-Pressure-Districts

09/19/2026

𝐁𝐎𝐈𝐋 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐃𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐘

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION

All City of Kalamazoo Water Customers

E. Coli bacteria was detected at one sample tap

BOIL WATER ADVISORY

LOW and HIGH Pressure Districts ONLY

City of Kalamazoo, September 19, 2026 – E.coli bacteria were found in one sample on September 18, 2026. When bacteria is detected, three repeat samples are collected. One repeat sample was total coliform-positive but did not contain E. coli. The other two repeat samples did not contain bacteria. Because one sample contained E. coli and a repeat sample was positive for total coliform, a violation occurred. A public notice is required for this violation.

As our customers, you have the right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct this situation. These bacteria can make you sick and are of particular concern for people with weakened immune systems. We are now conducting additional sampling to determine the extent of the problem and a thorough investigation to determine the source of the contamination.

The boil water advisory applies only to persons consuming water within the City of Kalamazoo's Low and High pressure districts (see map).

Municipal water customers within the affected area should not drink the water without boiling it first.

Customers should use bottled water or bring tap water to a rolling boil and boil for at least two minutes before using it for drinking, making ice, preparing food, brushing teeth, washing dishes, or other consumptive purposes.

E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Human pathogens in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a greater health risk for infants, young children, some of the elderly, and people with severely-compromised immune systems.

The City will continue collecting and evaluating water samples and will provide additional information as it becomes available. The drinking water warning will remain in effect until the City determines that the affected water is safe for normal use and the warning can be lifted.

What happened? What is being done?

Further follow up sampling to confirm results and source are being conducted currently. We will inform you when tests show no bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. We anticipate resolving the problem by 9/22/2026.

For more information and general inquiries, please contact the City of Kalamazoo at 311 or (269) 337-8000 during business hours. General guidelines on ways to lessen the risk of infection by microbes are available from the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1(800) 426-4791.

For water emergencies, please contact the City of Kalamazoo Water Emergency number at (269) 337-8148

No special precautionary measures are necessary for water used for bathing or showering unless otherwise directed by the City or the Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services Department.

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

09/18/2026

🌧️ FLOOD WATCH – KALAMAZOO AREA

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for the Kalamazoo area as multiple rounds of heavy rainfall are expected from tonight through early Sunday morning. Total rainfall of 3–4 inches is possible.

Residents should be prepared for:

🚧 Street & Urban Flooding

Temporary flooding is possible in low-lying areas, streets, and locations prone to poor drainage.
Never drive through a flooded roadway. Turn around, don’t drown.
Water depth can be difficult to judge, and even relatively shallow water can cause a vehicle to lose traction or become disabled.
If you encounter standing or moving water on a roadway, find an alternate route.

🏠 Prepare for Possible Basement Flooding

Check your sump pump now to ensure it is installed properly and functioning.
If you have a backup sump pump or battery backup system, make sure it is operational.
Clear debris from exterior drains, gutters, and downspouts.
Move valuables and important items off basement floors if you are in an area prone to flooding.
If your basement begins taking on water, do not enter standing water if electrical equipment or outlets may be submerged.

🌧️ Stay Informed
Continue monitoring weather conditions and updates from the National Weather Service and City of Kalamazoo Emergency Management throughout the weekend.

If you encounter flooding, use caution, avoid flooded areas, and report hazardous conditions through the appropriate City channels.

09/15/2026

𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗩𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗜𝗡𝗙𝗔𝗟𝗟 / 𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗗𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗡𝗚
The National Weather Service reports that different areas of Kalamazoo have received between 0.5 and 0.75 inch of rainfall so far this morning. Additional storms are currently moving into the Kalamazoo area.

NWS predicts that Kalamazoo will receive at least another 0.5 inch of rainfall this afternoon and evening, with total additional rainfall of approximately 1 to 1.25 inches possible over the next 24 hours, depending on the track and movement of the storms. An additional 0.5 inch of rainfall is possible through Thursday.

This heavy rainfall will likely result in temporary urban flooding, particularly in low-lying areas such as Crosstown. City Public Services already has crews out clearing drains to help prevent street flooding and reduce the impacts if temporary flooding does occur.

Residents are encouraged to use caution when traveling through areas that are prone to flooding and never drive through flooded roadways. It can be difficult to accurately judge the depth of water on a roadway until it is too late, and even a lower amount of water than you may expect can disable a vehicle.

09/04/2026

Kalamazoo MI-Calhoun MI-Eaton MI-Barry MI-Allegan MI-Van Buren MI-
Jackson MI-
1202 PM EDT Fri Sep 4 2026
..Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of Calhoun, Van Buren,
southern Allegan, southwestern Jackson, southern Barry, Kalamazoo and
southwestern Eaton Counties through 130 PM EDT...

At 1202 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 6 miles east of Fennville to 5 miles west of
Otsego to near Benton Heights. Movement was east at 40 mph.

HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.

Locations impacted include...
Kalamazoo... Portage... Albion...
Marshall... Battle Creek... Allegan...
Paw Paw... Otsego... Plainwell...
Vicksburg... Hartford... Galesburg...
Mattawan... Lawton... Bangor...
Decatur... Parchment... Homer...
Union City... Schoolcraft...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

09/03/2026

Don’t forget about the alerts already built into your phone! During Emergency Preparedness Month, take a moment to check your phone’s settings and make sure Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are enabled and that your phone is not set to silence or block them.

WEAs are different from the City’s opt-in RAVE Alerts. You do not need to sign up for IPAWS/WEAs—they are sent directly to compatible phones in an affected area during certain emergencies.

Take a minute today to check your settings. You could receive an alert when it matters most.

09/03/2026

September is Emergency Preparedness Month! 🚨

One of the easiest ways to prepare is to make sure you can receive important emergency information when you need it most. Sign up for free RAVE Alerts from the City of Kalamazoo to receive notifications about severe weather, potential hazards, evacuations, shelter-in-place orders, active violence, road closures, and more.

📱 Don’t wait for an emergency—sign up today! Scan the QR code or use the link in the attached flyer.

09/03/2026

National Weather Service expects the storm system to reach the Kalamazoo area around 2 PM and pass through by approximately 3–4 PM. At this time, they do not expect the 60 mph winds referenced in the bulletin to be likely in Kalamazoo, although those stronger winds are possible as the system interacts with our hot and humid air here.

Significant overall precipitation is not anticipated. However, localized areas of heavier rainfall could result in temporary urban flooding, depending on where those heavier pockets develop. Those would be expected to be short lived.

Once that system passes, they do not expect severe weather behind it.