Business owners, activists ask Atlanta leaders for financial help amid water crisis

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – A group of small business owners and community activists are demanding financial help from city leaders amid Atlanta’s water crisis.

The group presented its plan to create the Atlanta Small Business Water Crisis Relief Fund before the Atlanta City Council on Monday.

Devin Barrington-Ward of the Black Futurists Group said the proposed emergency ordinance would consist of an initial $5 million to help businesses with little or no water after recent water main breaks. water disrupted service for thousands of people.

“Every time you talk to them, they say the same thing: I lost tens of thousands of dollars in revenue,” Barrington-Ward said of affected business owners. “This is unacceptable because it will impact people’s bottom lines, their ability to pay salaries, rent and other overhead costs associated with operating a business in the city of Atlanta, without let it be their fault.”

The relief fund would provide up to $10,000 per small business and up to $25,000 per medium-sized business, according to Barrington-Ward.

Trinket Lewis is the co-founder of MoreLyfe Juice Co. in southwest Atlanta. She said her smoothie bar’s water pressure was affected and affected operations.

“Over the last three days, our sales are down 58 to 63 percent,” Lewis said. “Which means I had to call everyone and go to the store to get ice because obviously we can’t make smoothies without ice.”

At a news conference Monday, the group said that ideally, that money would come from city budget allocations, state and federal emergency relief funds and private donations and grants.

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