Atlanta Water Main Break Causes Major Disruption, Shutdowns

Atlanta authorities were slowly cracking down on the city’s water system Saturday after corroded water pipes burst across Downtown and Midtown, forcing many businesses and attractions to close and affecting water service in houses in the region.

The city was distributing cases of water and installing portable toilets at several fire stations and first responders were checking high-rise buildings to see if elderly or other vulnerable residents were OK.

“Water is a precious and essential resource and cities and lives cannot function without it,” Mayor Andre Dickens said at a press conference Saturday. “It’s absolutely at the top of our list.”

In a statement Saturday evening, the mayor’s office said crews had “performed several rounds of repairs” and “the system was gradually being brought back online to allow system pressures to rebuild.”

A boil water advisory was still in effect for much of AtlantaHowever, until the Georgia Division of Environmental Protection determines the advisory can be lifted.

According to CBS affiliate WANF-TV, the Georgia State Capitol, Georgia Supreme Court and Atlanta City Hall did not have water service Friday.

Some attractions and businesses, including the Georgia Aquarium and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, remained closed Saturday.

“The citywide water problem is still affecting the Aquarium and many others in the area. It doesn’t affect our animals, but it does affect our visitor areas, like restrooms,” said l aquarium on the social platform

The aquarium was scheduled to reopen Sunday, according to WANF.

The water main break also forced rapper Megan Thee Stallion to move her concert from Friday to Sunday.

“I’m extremely disappointed because I had a huge surprise for the Hotties tonight, but we will follow the mayor’s protocol,” she said. job on X. “Pray for the people who have lost access to water because of this situation.”

The problems began Friday morning when water poured onto the street at the intersection of three major downtown water mains, causing water problems at two hospitals, a city jail, a jail in county and local shelters. A separate breakup later occurred in Midtown, adding to the problem.

Authorities have been widely criticized for their slowness in informing citizens of the situation. The city and its water department sent out an update after 8 p.m. Friday and waited more than 12 hours to notify residents again. Dickens only spoke to the media at 2 p.m. Saturday and explained that he was in Memphis when the problem began.

Someone in the affected area posted flyers around the neighborhood asking “Don’t you have water?” » and “Help us find our mayor”.

Dickens promised updates every two hours until the situation is resolved.

“Overnight we didn’t do the best job of communicating. We could have done a better job over the past day and I apologize for that,” he said.

Residents have been asked to limit their water consumption to allow pressure in the system to recover.

“We certainly understand the urgency of restoring water service, but we also want to make sure that we do it in a way that does not result in further regression of our work,” said Commissioner Al Wiggins Jr. of the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management, during a press conference. Press conference Saturday. “Any water service is a fragile installation.”

He said he hoped service would be fully restored by Saturday, but he could not guarantee it.

The city urged people to check on elderly or sick neighbors and relatives.

“The entire city government is mobilized to address this issue,” the water department said Friday.