After Atlanta Pipes Burst, Many Residents Lose Water, Then Patience

A series of water main breaks in Atlanta caused widespread disruption Saturday, as outages and drastically reduced water pressure forced some businesses to close and infuriated residents who criticized city officials for not provided timely updates.

Reports of service interruptions began Friday after corroded water pipes burst near downtown; it is unclear exactly when the breakups occurred. Disruptions continued into Saturday, with many people still experiencing very low water pressure. Residents in much of the city were under a boil water advisory, which advised them to use bottled water or boil tap water.

Utility and city officials said Saturday evening that repairs were completed at the site of the water main break that caused most of the service interruption. They said “the system is gradually being brought back into service,” allowing water pressure to be increased. No contamination was found during preliminary testing of the water, but the boil water advisory remains in effect, officials said.

The outages forced businesses to close or limit services, and some hospitals had to divert patients and cancel some procedures. Events were canceled and postponed, including Megan Thee Stallion concerts that thousands of people planned to attend on Friday and Saturday. Residents in many neighborhoods – as well as guests of downtown hotels – had to make do with bottled water or what little flowed from their taps.

Many were seething at the lack of information. As the hours passed, officials gave few details on the status of service restoration.

“This is absurd and Atlanta should be ashamed,” one resident wrote on Facebook in response to a post from the city government announcing the boil water advisory. “It’s unsanitary and dangerous!” »

At a news conference Saturday afternoon, Mayor Andre Dickens apologized for the weekend’s inconveniences and disrupted plans. He also acknowledged the city’s failure to adequately inform residents. “Overnight we didn’t do the best job of communicating,” Mr. Dickens said from the site of the largest water main break.

“Cities can’t function without it, and lives can’t function without it,” he added, referring to reliable water service. “It’s a priority that deserves our full attention.”

Pipes burst in an area where three main water mains intersect. The city’s watershed management agency began closing floodgates Friday morning, causing water pressure to drop at nearby hospitals and government facilities.

Service interruptions were concentrated in the city’s core, affecting downtown hotels, tourist attractions, and state and city government offices, then spilling over into surrounding densely populated residential areas .

The unrest was compounded by another major rupture in the city’s Midtown neighborhood.

Officials said there were some technical setbacks while work was underway to restore service, adding that they were balancing speed carefully to avoid causing further damage to an aging system.

“We understand the urgency of restoring water service,” Al Wiggins Jr., commissioner of the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, told reporters Saturday. “But we want to make sure we do it in a way that doesn’t cause further regression in our work.”

But Mr. Dickens also sought to ease the anger and exasperation simmering in the city, promising that crews were working diligently and that the city would be more willing to inform residents.

“Let me be clear, these people are working tirelessly,” Mr Dickens said of the teams working alongside him during his speech on Saturday afternoon. “They are working as quickly and as carefully as possible to resolve this situation as quickly as possible. »