Atlanta leaders tackle aging system following massive water main breaks

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – In the first Atlanta City Council meeting since a series of water main breaks interrupted water service to thousands of city residents, the message was clear: new infrastructure is needed.

“We repair pipes dating back to the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s,” said LaChandra Burks, Atlanta’s chief operating officer. “Our infrastructure is collapsing, we know it and we accept no argument against it. »

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The Friday breaks persisted through the weekend, prompting residents in parts of Midtown, Downtown and elsewhere around the city to boil whatever came out of their faucets. The city said the many locations that experienced problems were particularly difficult sites to repair because a number of lines converged where the breaks occurred.

Watershed Commissioner Al Wiggins, who has only been in the job for about three weeks, told council members that his crews had just received the part they needed to complete the repairs and that he hoped the The affected pipes would be put under pressure later in the evening.

“The part has arrived. The part is being installed. We believe this will be a routine repair,” Wiggins said. “We hope to have this part installed before nightfall and we will begin to pressurize the system.”

Wiggins warned Atlanta residents to wait for alerts from authorities, as there is a prototypical 18-hour waiting period during which the Department of Watersheds monitors water safety after a main break before a boil water advisory is lifted.

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Although signs of a solution were imminent, residents speaking during Monday’s public comment session were clearly frustrated.

“It wasn’t a hurricane. It wasn’t a tornado. It was not an act of God. This was an act of negligence,” said Atlanta resident and local business owner Devin Barrington-Ward. “It was an irresponsible act. It was an act of unpreparedness.

“These outages come at a time of extreme disinvestment and neglect of public infrastructure,” said Atlanta resident Matthew Nursey, who also works with the Housing Justice League. “This is unacceptable. We’ve seen bridges on fire, potholes swallowing cars, and now the city’s water supply is being knocked out with terrible communication and transparency.”

Mayor Andre Dickens was criticized for spending Friday on an out-of-state fundraiser instead of addressing major breaks more immediately and frequently. On Monday, the city acknowledged the lack of communication.

“If there was one area where we could have done a better job, it was communications,” Burks said. “What we all know is that sometimes we get so wrapped up in a problem and work so hard on it that we don’t communicate the way we should. We own it and the mayor openly apologized for it.

Burks said when residents began identifying communication issues, the city began sending and posting alerts every two hours.

The aging of Atlanta’s water infrastructure is no secret. The city has been under a consent decree with the federal government – ​​and even fined for violating that decree – since 1998. The goal was to ensure that the city provided drinking water to residents whose drinking water is constantly unsanitary.

Recently in his role as commissioner, Wiggins was unable to provide an update on the Watershed Department’s progress in completing federally mandated projects.

“I can’t tell you right now what the percentage of compliance with these particular dates is,” he told council members.

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Councilman Antonio Lewis, who chairs the city’s Utilities Committee, called for a special work session with Wiggins, watershed officials and other stakeholders next Tuesday to discuss possible solutions.

Lewis said that even if the city were to replace its aging pipes, there would be a shortage of skilled workers who could prevent future outages from occurring, or at least shorten the length of time residents are without water.

“We had a job fair last year for the watershed, 500 people showed up, only 39 were eligible for positions,” Lewis said. “Until we’re able to increase the department’s staffing levels, the entry levels, the people on the ground, I don’t think it’s fully working. I think we are on the right track.

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