Army Corps of Engineers plans $1 million assessment of Atlanta water lines

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is undertaking a comprehensive $1 million analysis of Atlanta’s water pipes after major breaks led to a water crisis that lasted nearly a week and left thousands of people without drinking water.

The Savannah and Mobile districts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said in a June 14 press release that they are collaborating with the Atlanta Department of Watersheds on “the risk assessment study, resilience and condition of water pipes” of one million dollars.

The initiative aims to assess risks and improve the resilience of the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management’s drinking water system. This could take up to two years.

The study follows serious water main breaks in Vine City and Midtown on May 31, which wreaked havoc across large parts of the city through June 6. Mayor Andre Dickens declared a state of emergency. Businesses were closed, events were canceled and city officials struggled to keep the public informed while crews worked around the clock to make repairs.

Dickens told the City Council at its June 3 meeting that the U.S. Army Corps would help the city assess its approximately 3,000 miles of water pipe infrastructure.

“We sought their help because they are the government entity that has the most practical experience with the type of crisis we face – crumbling and aging infrastructure,” Dickens said. “They will help us identify and address vulnerabilities in our current water system. »

For example, corroded steel pipes more than 80 years old burst at Joseph E. Boone Boulevard and James P. Brawley Drive in the city’s first major rupture. Hours later, at the intersection of 11th and West Peachtree streets, a nearly century-old pipe ruptured and proved difficult to repair.

Once the assessment is complete, the city will receive a list of strategies to determine the current condition and an estimate of the remaining useful life of the pipelines.

The city will also benefit from long-term investment planning for any necessary corrective actions, including rehabilitation or replacement,” according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.