Atlanta lifts boil water advisory

Atlanta power failure sparks boil water advisory

An internal power failure at an Atlanta water pumping station triggered a boil water advisory impacting thousands of customers, according to watershed management officials.  

ATLANTA - The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management (DWM) lifted a boil water advisory Saturday morning for customers across the downtown corridor after testing confirmed the water is safe. 

Atlanta watershed power failure

What we know:

The DWM lifted the safety advisory at 7:30 a.m. Saturday. The safety advisory issued a protective boil water advisory on Friday afternoon. The emergency order follows an internal power failure at the Hemphill Electric Pumping Station, which dropped water pressure across the downtown corridor.

Electrical service has since been restored to the pumping station, according to city officials. However, the temporary drop in pressure forced roughly 50,000 affected customers to boil their water for at least one full minute before drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice or preparing food.

According to a news release by the DWM, the city's drinking water meets or exceeds all legal standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as required by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division has also been formally notified that the system is fully cleared.

Pumping station safety testing

What we don't know:

Officials did not state whether any long-term infrastructure changes will be implemented to prevent future water system disruptions in the downtown area. It remains unclear if any specific businesses or facilities suffered major operational losses during the period the advisory was active.

Boil Water Advisory issued for downtown Atlanta

The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management issued a Boil Water Advisory for downtown Atlanta the morning of Friday, May 22, due to a power failure at the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant. The city is advising residents to boil water if your water pressure is low and to not drink water from public fountains.

Watershed management tracking data

By the numbers:

According to the Department of Watershed Management news release, approximately 50,000 customers live within the designated boundaries of the active advisory. The agency states that water must be brought to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute to ensure it is completely safe for human consumption.

Impact on Local Establishments

Local perspective:

Neighborhood spots like the Halfway Crooks Brewery and The Little Tart Bakery in Summerhill threw out hundreds of dollars in freshly prepared items made with compromised tap water. To keep serving people safely, workers adjusted operations by turning off glass-rinsing machines and purchasing ice cubes directly from a nearby Publix.