Water service has been restored to several major buildings in Atlanta after corroded water mains burst in downtown and midtown Atlanta, forcing the closure of many businesses and attractions and affecting water service to residential areas, officials said.
The Atlanta Basin Authority said in a news release that by Sunday morning, crews had completed sufficient repairs to fully restore service to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Service has also been restored to the Fulton County Jail and the Atlanta City Jail, as well as “many of Atlanta’s critical facilities and residents, including senior high-rise buildings,” the authority said.
Atlanta officials began gradually increasing pressure in the city’s water system earlier this weekend. The city was distributing cases of water, setting up portable toilets in several fire stations and emergency workers were checking high-rise apartment buildings to make sure elderly and other vulnerable residents were okay.
“Water is a precious and critical resource and without it, our city cannot function and our people cannot live,” Mayor Andre Dickens said at a press conference Saturday morning. “Water is absolutely our number one priority.”
Mayor Dickens announced he was declaring a state of emergency over the situation during his second press conference Saturday evening. He said that while crews have made great progress repairing the first water main burst, they are struggling with the second burst in Midtown.
“The second major break is still being addressed. Repairs there are a little more complicated for a few reasons. We don’t have a timeline estimated for that work yet,” Dickens said.
The mayor’s office also said in a statement Saturday night that workers were “completing multiple repairs” and that the system was “gradually coming back online to allow for the rebuilding of system pressure.”
However, the boil water advisory remains in effect. Most of Atlanta The measures will remain in place until the Georgia Department of Environmental Protection determines the advisory can be lifted. The watershed management agency said Sunday that it was “following line flushing procedures for the system as a precaution” and would be “taking samples of the affected areas to ensure they are not contaminated.”
Water was cut off at the Georgia State Capitol, the Georgia Supreme Court and Atlanta City Hall on Friday, according to CBS affiliate WANF-TV.
Several attractions and businesses remained closed Saturday, including the Georgia Aquarium and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights.
“The citywide water issues are still affecting the Aquarium and many other facilities in the area. While animals have not been affected, visitor areas such as restrooms have been impacted,” the aquarium posted on social platform X.
The aquarium is expected to reopen Sunday, according to WANF.
The burst water main also forced rapper Megan Thee Stallion to reschedule her concert from Friday to Sunday.
“We were planning a big surprise for Hotties tonight so we are very disappointed, but we will follow the mayor’s instructions,” she said. Posts X. “I pray for those who have lost access to water because of this situation.”
The problems began Friday morning when water overflowed at the intersection of three major water mains that intersect downtown, causing water shortages for two hospitals, the city and county jails and local evacuation shelters. Then another rupture occurred in Midtown, exacerbating the problem.
Officials were widely criticized for being slow to inform residents about the situation. The city and water board issued updates after 8pm on Friday and then waited more than 12 hours to inform residents again. Dickens did not speak to the media until 2pm on Saturday, explaining that he was in Memphis when the problems began.
Someone in the disaster area posted flyers in the neighborhood that read, “No water?” and “Please help find the mayor.”
Dickens promised to provide updates every two hours until the situation is resolved.
“We didn’t communicate well last night and we could have done better throughout the day and for that I apologize,” he said.
Residents were asked to limit water usage to help restore pressure in the system.
“We understand the urgency of restoring water service, but we want to ensure that we do so in a way that doesn’t cause further setbacks to our work,” Atlanta Watershed Authority Director Al Wiggins Jr. said at a press conference Saturday. “Any water utility is a vulnerable entity.”
He said he hopes service will be fully restored by Saturday but could not guarantee it.
The city urged residents to check on elderly or sick neighbors and relatives.
“The entire city government has been mobilized to address this issue,” the water department said Friday.
