Boil water advisory in effect for metro Atlanta area Dekalb County due to water main break
A boil water advisory impacting thousands has been implemented in parts of Georgia due to repairs on a "significant water main break," officials said.
The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management issued the alert about the break at 8:30 p.m local time.
Officials explained that the break on Clairmont Road resulted from an old cast iron pipe installed in 1941. Local outlet WSB-TV reported that the break formed a hole, and crews were working at the scene on Wednesday morning.
"Nearly 8,800 households and 20,000 residents in the Toco Hills area and surrounding neighborhoods" will be impacted by the break, according to the department. The agency noted that residents could see little to no water pressure or temporarily lose service entirely.
"This is necessary to drain the water tank and access the damaged pipe for repairs," officials said.
DeKalb County is located in metro Atlanta.
Officials urge residents to boil water before use
On Wednesday morning, Emory University released a statement to their community about the advisory and is giving out safe water at different locations on campus.
Commissioner Robert Patrick of DeKalb County District 1 urged residents to boil their water before use, including cooking and drinking. The repairs have raised concerns for local business owners.
“They said it’s going to take all day. That’s very discouraging for business," Jan Bolgla of Atlanta Vintage Books told WSB-TV. "Missing a whole day of work is really hard for a small business."
Paste BN reached out to the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management for more information.
Atlanta area also had a water main break last year
This current water main break comes 8 months after a similar issue impacted Atlanta residents, causing major disruptions. Many residents were left without water for days. Officials said corrosion and decay were to blame for the leaks.
The issue caused problems for businesses, hospitals, airports, and other local attractions. It also led to concert cancellations at State Farm Arena.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for Paste BN. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.