This browser does not support the Video element.
Forest Park residents take advantage of free water distribution event
Since a boil water advisory was issued on Christmas Day and many Clayton County residents have been left without boiling water, a long line of eager citizens waited to receive free cases of water at a distribution event Tuesday morning into the afternoon.
FOREST PARK, Ga. - The temperatures are rising, but many in metro Atlanta are dealing with the fallout from freezing temperatures over the Christmas weekend.
Parts of DeKalb County as well as Clayton, Butts, and Forsyth counties are under boil water advisories as of Tuesday evening due to low water pressure. Some people in these areas have no water at all.
Many of these counties are giving out bottled water to try to make things easier for people who live there. That includes Clayton County.
Tuesday saw a constant stream of people coming through the Forest Park Recreation Center. City firefighters and workers have been lugging cases of bottled water, one case to each car in line.
"We have no water like absolutely none," said Forest Park resident Jovana Hill. "Annoying, very annoying."
The rec center was among a handful of water distribution sites in Clayton County which is under a boil water advisory started on Christmas Day.
Angelyne Butler, the mayor of Forest Park was in place trying to calm nerves of worn out residents.
"Hundreds of packs of water have been passed out, we’re very blessed to have been able to partner with GEMA to get this going for our residents," said Mayor Butler.
The mayor says each vehicle is allowed one case of water on a first come, first served basis. She says with a population approaching 20,000, Forest Park homes and businesses have been adversely effected by a series of water pipe breaks.
Israel Hernandez, owner of Los Amigos Salvadoran and Latin Food, says his restaurant is losing business every day the water remains unavailable.
"Saturday afternoon, we didn’t have no water, we closed early Saturday, closed Sunday closed Monday closed today, and we don’t know tomorrow," Hernandez said.
Hernandez says most of the businesses on the strip of shops where Los Amigos is located are also closed or on limited hours, with everyone waiting for word on when the water will return from the Clayton County Water Authority.
"We’re not certain, we’re just working, we’re eliminating issues as we go throughout the day hour by hour, we’re eliminating issues, and we notice some differences," Bernard Franks, General Manager of Clayton County Water Authority said Monday.
Anxious business owners and residents wait and wonder about their water, thankful for those helping them.
"I thank God for them. This is a blessing. Anything will help, hopefully they’ll get the water turned back on very, very soon," said Forest Park resident Samantha Hemingway.
Forest Park and Clayton County residents and businesses with low water pressure are urged to continue to boil their water, whatever they have until the advisory is lifted.