TL;DR: Boil tap water for one minute or use bottled water in southwest Atlanta, South Fulton, Fairburn and Union City under the Chattahoochee plant advisory.

Boil-water advisory covers four metro Atlanta areas

Residents and businesses in parts of southwest Atlanta, South Fulton, Fairburn and Union City were told to boil tap water before use or use bottled water following a water supply interruption, according to CBS Atlanta.

The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management issued the advisory after an interruption affecting the Chattahoochee Water Treatment Plant, according to CBS Atlanta.

The department described the notice as precautionary, issued out of an abundance of caution and in accordance with Georgia EPD guidance for public notice, according to reporting from 11Alive.

Department crews and contractors were deployed to the treatment plant to investigate the interruption while officials monitored system pressures and overall operations, according to 11Alive.

The impacted zone described on Oct. 12 included portions of southwest Atlanta and even a slice of northwest Atlanta, as well as Fairburn, Union City and South Fulton, with coverage appearing to include most of Palmetto, according to 11Alive.

The City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management identified the affected customer group as residents and businesses in Southwest Atlanta, South Fulton, Fairburn and Union City, according to CBS Atlanta.

What triggered the notice at the Chattahoochee plant

The advisory followed a water supply interruption affecting the Chattahoochee Water Treatment Plant, according to CBS Atlanta.

The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management said the advisory was caused by a water supply interruption at the Chattahoochee Water Treatment Plant, according to 11Alive.

Crews and contractors were on site and investigating the situation while the department monitored operations and system pressures, according to 11Alive.

Department crews and contractors remained on site monitoring operations and evaluating system pressure across the network, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

A water main break near the Chattahoochee facility was part of the response. Around 9 a.m. Monday, the department said repairs to a water main break near the Chattahoochee facility were completed, according to 11Alive.

Even after that repair, the boil-water advisory was to remain in place until the department was cleared to lift it following sampling protocols, according to 11Alive.

On Monday afternoon, officials said repairs at the plant were complete, but the boil-water advisory would remain in effect until 1 p.m. on Tuesday, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

The water department said the boil-water advisory would remain in place until DWM was cleared to lift the advisory following sampling protocols, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

Who should take action now

All residents and property owners who experienced water outages and low water pressure were advised to boil all water before use or use bottled water, according to 11Alive.

People in the affected area should bring tap water to a rolling boil for one minute, then let it cool before drinking, cooking, preparing baby food or brushing teeth, according to CBS Atlanta.

Bottled water can be used instead of boiled tap water, according to CBS Atlanta.

Officials also advised people not to drink from public water fountains in the affected area, according to CBS Atlanta.

The department release said residents should not drink water from public water fountains in the impacted area, according to 11Alive.

The guidance applied to residents and businesses in the advisory area, according to CBS Atlanta.

Households that had outages or low pressure were the focus of the boil-before-use instruction, according to 11Alive.

How to boil and use water safely

Anyone who experienced low water pressure or a full outage should bring water to a full, rolling boil for at least one minute before using it, according to the detailed guidance reported by WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

To properly boil water, heat it until bubbles rise quickly from the bottom of the container, continue heating for one minute after it begins to boil, then let it cool before use, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

The water should be boiled for one minute past a rolling boil, according to 11Alive.

Safe water or bottled water should be used for drinking, cooking, making baby formula and brushing teeth, according to the protective steps reported by WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

Customers were told they should use bottled water or boil tap water before drinking it, brushing teeth, washing food, preparing food and baby formula, making ice or giving water to pets, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

People in the affected area were told to use boiled or bottled water for cooking and for preparing baby food, according to CBS Atlanta.

Let boiled water cool before use, according to CBS Atlanta.

Extra caution for infants, older adults and sensitive groups

Infants, the elderly and those with immune deficiencies should be cautious, according to 11Alive.

Department officials urged heightened caution for specific groups and public facilities in the area, stating that infants, the elderly and those with immune deficiencies should be cautious, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

Infants, older adults and people with compromised immune systems were among those encouraged to take extra precautions in the advisory area, according to the safety information reported by WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

The instruction to avoid public water fountains in the impacted area was part of the same protective guidance, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

Families preparing baby food or baby formula were specifically included in the boil-or-use-bottled-water instruction, according to CBS Atlanta and WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

Pet water was also included in the list of uses requiring bottled water or boiled tap water, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

How long the advisory was expected to last

The boil-water advisory was to remain in place until DWM was cleared to lift the advisory following sampling protocols, according to 11Alive.

The department said crews and contractors were currently on site and investigating, while DWM monitored operations and system pressures, according to 11Alive.

Officials were monitoring system pressures and overall operations during the advisory period, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

The advisory was expected to remain in effect until 1 p.m. on Tuesday after Monday afternoon repairs were reported complete, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

Clearance to lift the advisory was tied to sampling protocols, not to completion of the pipe repair alone, according to WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

Residents were told to continue boiling or using bottled water until the department announced clearance through its sampling process, according to 11Alive.

Separate Canton advisory reported the same morning

A separate boil-water advisory was impacting Canton into Monday morning alongside the south Fulton County-area advisory, according to 11Alive.

In Canton, the city said Sunday that water had been turned back on after a water main break but that the impacted zone would stay on the advisory through Monday, according to 11Alive.

The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management issued its advisory around 4 a.m. on Monday, according to 11Alive.

That timing account described a Monday-morning issuance tied to the Chattahoochee Water Treatment Plant interruption, according to 11Alive.

The Canton situation involved a water main break followed by restored service with continued boiling precautions, according to 11Alive.

Households in Canton’s impacted zone were therefore under a parallel boil-water period while Atlanta-area sampling continued, according to 11Alive.

What households should do until clearance

Keep a supply of bottled water available for drinking, cooking, preparing baby food, brushing teeth and the other uses named in the advisory, according to CBS Atlanta and WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta.

If bottled water is not available, bring tap water to a rolling boil for one minute and let it cool before those uses, according to CBS Atlanta.

Do not drink from public water fountains in the impacted area during the advisory, according to CBS Atlanta.

Follow official notices from the City of Atlanta Department of Watershed Management for lift decisions based on sampling protocols, according to 11Alive.

Businesses in Southwest Atlanta, South Fulton, Fairburn and Union City were included in the same boil-or-use-bottled-water instruction as residents, according to CBS Atlanta.

Anyone who had outages or low pressure should treat tap water as requiring boiling or substitution until officials confirm clearance, according to 11Alive.

Sources referenced