State of emergency declared in Atlanta | What does that mean

ATLANTA — Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said the city is now under a state of emergency after two days of attempts to repair a handful of water main breaks across the city, including two major ones.

The city of Atlanta was hit hard by the problem at the start of the weekend, as canceled concerts, shuttered venues and temporarily shuttered businesses are just part of the problems. Low water pressure affected flush toilets, access to drinking water and further impacted residents.

The state of emergency will allow Mayor Dickens to implement policies and obtain resources, supplies and equipment that he would not normally be allowed to do.

As of Saturday evening, crews were able to repair a major water main break in the Mechanicsville neighborhood of Atlanta, at Joseph E. Boone Boulevard and James P Brawley Drive. The breakup, however, had major consequences throughout the city.

Dickens said they are still working to repair a major water main break at 11th Street and West Peachtree Street, which impacted homes and businesses in Midtown Atlanta. Dickens said repairing that water main was a little more “complicated,” but crews were working around the clock to repair it.

The mayor said enacting the state of emergency would allow the city to access resources in an “expedited” manner. He said the city is working with the Georgia Department of Emergency Management (GEMA) and he appreciates the state’s support to help get the city’s water back to normal operation.

He also said city officials checked metro Atlanta hospitals to make sure operations were going smoothly and they also checked senior living communities. They are awaiting the arrival of 100 pallets of drinking water ready to be distributed on Sunday morning.

11Alive is tracking updates on water main breaks and site closures across the city of Atlanta this afternoon and evening.

You can watch Mayor Dickens’ full press release below: