ATLANTA — After a two-day water outage that disrupted businesses and left many homes without water, downtown Atlanta and surrounding neighborhoods were finally seeing the return of water power on Sunday.
Despite progress in repairing one of the two major water main breaks affecting the city, a large portion of the area still remained under a boil water advisory. Mayor Andre Dickens, in a late Saturday press conference, acknowledged the challenges faced by residents but shared some positive updates on the situation.
While expressing regret for the inconvenience caused, Mayor Dickens faced criticism from residents, including rapper Megan Thee Stallion, whose scheduled performances at the State Farm Arena had to be canceled. The arena management aimed to reschedule the shows for Sunday night to make up for the disruption.
The water issues began with three major water mains bursting near downtown, with one of the pipes being identified as old and corroded. Repairs were challenging due to the confined space and the need for careful work to fix the junction. Another water main burst in Midtown, causing further disruptions, with officials working to isolate the leak and make necessary repairs.
Atlanta has been investing in upgrading its aging water infrastructure, including recent projects to improve water storage capacity and comply with environmental regulations. The city declared a state of emergency to expedite the repair process and ensure necessary resources were available.
City workers were deployed to distribute water and set up portable toilets at fire stations, while also checking on vulnerable residents in high-rise buildings. Despite criticism for delayed communication, efforts were made to keep residents informed about the situation.
Some attractions and businesses, such as the Georgia Aquarium, reopened on Sunday with precautions due to the boil water advisory, ensuring safety for visitors by limiting certain services like ice and fountain drinks in the cafeteria.
