DeKalb County crews repair water main on South Candler Street, Atlanta still dealing with breaks

DECATUR, GA—DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management crews are currently making repairs to a broken 12-inch-diameter water main on South Candler Street near Kirk Road, officials said tonight (June 5). County officials issued a media advisory about the broken pipe at 9:52 p.m.

More updates will be provided as available.

The water main break at South Candler further underscores the aging infrastructure in DeKalb—a problem CEO Michael Thurmond said this week must be addressed immediately. Thurmond called for a water/sewer rate hike in an appeal to the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, June 4. His administration is expected to present a detailed comprehensive plan in two weeks that will outline the increased costs that residents will face that will be needed to make critical repairs and upgrades to the water/sewer system.

DeKalb residents experiencing low to no water pressure are encouraged to contact the DeKalb County Watershed Department at dekalbwaterops@dekalbcountyga.gov or 770-270-6243.

Meanwhile, the city of Atlanta continues to deal with water main breaks that have persisted since May 31. The city sent out a media advisory on June 5 at 10:04 p.m. stating the city’s Department of Watershed Management will conduct a test shutdown of a 30-inch main as part of an evaluation of its water system. The intersection of MLK Jr. Drive and Bakers Ferry Road will be closed on Thursday, June 6, from 12 to 4 a.m.

Thursday, June 6, 2024, from 12 – 4 a.m.

Customers from Bolton Road to Fairburn Road and the surrounding area may

experience an interruption of water service while the test shut down is being conducted.

Crews have completed repairs on the water main break at the intersection of West Peachtree Street and 11th Street in downtown Atlanta. Water has been restored to the Midtown area’s residents and businesses. The system is slowly being brought back online to allow system pressures to rebuild, officials said.

The boil water advisory is still in effect out of an abundance of caution and in accordance with Georgia EPD guidance for public advisory.

DWM is following its flushing protocols for the water system as a precautionary measure and has tested the affected zones to confirm that the public water in the system is safe for all purposes. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division will inform the Department of Watershed Management when the advisory can be lifted.

“We are pleased to announce that water service has been fully restored across our city. Our dedicated teams have worked tirelessly to resolve the issue, and I applaud them for their service,” said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. “We appreciate the patience and cooperation of our residents and businesses during this challenging time. Together, we have demonstrated the resilience that defines our city.”