Water main break in Atlanta: boil water advisory issued

ATLANTA — The Department of Watershed Management has issued a boil water advisory for much of metro Atlanta after a major water main break left thousands of people in the city ​​struggling with water problems.

The ministry is also asking the public to limit their water consumption to allow pressure in the system to recover.

This comes as watershed department crews work to repair the breaks, which happened in the western part of the city.

The department first reported a disruption just after 11:30 a.m. in the Vine City neighborhood, near the intersection of Joseph E. Boone Boulevard NW and James P. Brawley Parkway. It’s on the west side of the city and close to several major landmarks and attractions, including Atlanta University Center, Georgia Tech, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and more.

City officials said a 48-inch pipe and a 36-inch pipe connecting that area ruptured, leading to the rupture of a pipe that carries large amounts of water through the city.

Meanwhile, the department’s outage map also showed another potential major outage on Glenwood Avenue SE on the city’s east side near the East Lake Golf Club. Watershed officials said it had nothing to do with the failure of Joseph E. Boone Boulevard.

The rupture and other water problems led to the early closure of several major tourist attractions, such as the Georgia Aquarium and Zoo Atlanta. Government and public services, such as City Hall and Grady Hospital, were also affected. Several residents in neighborhoods around the city also reported that they had no water.

RELATED: Here are the businesses affected by widespread water main breaks in Atlanta

Therefore, “out of an abundance of caution,” the department advises the public in the shaded area below to boil their water according to the Georgia Division of Environmental Protection guidelines. It recommends that all residents and homeowners who have experienced water outages and/or low water pressure boil all water before using it or use bottled water for drinking, cooking, preparing baby food or brushing your teeth.

The boil water notice will remain in effect until the Georgia EPD authorizes the Department of Watershed Management to lift it after sampling and testing.

Crews will likely begin repairs around 5 p.m., at which time service will experience some ups and downs: Some residents may experience low water pressure or lose water altogether. There is no estimate of how long these repairs would take. During this time, anyone in the shaded area is asked to conserve water for critical use only and to prepare for possible outages.

During a boil water advisory, water must be boiled for one minute after boiling.

Infants, the elderly and immunocompromised people should use caution. Do not drink water from public fountains located in the affected area.

Vigorous hand washing or showering with soap and tap water should be safe for basic personal hygiene. However, if you wash your hands to prepare food, use boiled (then cooled) water and hand soap.