Update at 12:25 p.m. … the cautionary boil water advisory has been lifted. Here’s the full announcement from the county: 

The “cautionary” boil water advisory, which began Friday, Feb. 2, has been cancelled after the Georgia Environmental Protection Division reviewed a series of microbiological test results and authorized the advisory to be lifted.

The advisory was in effect for the area bounded by Scott Boulevard on the north; Avondale Road through Old Rockbridge Road on the south; Interstate 285 on the east; and DeKalb Industrial Way on the west.

The “cautionary” boil water advisory cancellation comes after DeKalb County crews and contractors successfully repaired a broken pipe on McClendon Drive at approximately 3 a.m.

The water system has been restored to full operation and the microbiological quality of the water in the distribution system is safe for human consumption. Depending on a customer’s location, complete time for restoration of normal pressure is up to 48 hours.   

Here is our previous story.

DeKalb County, GA — Residents on McLendon Drive woke up to running water on Sunday morning, Feb. 4.

Water service had been out since Friday, Feb. 2, due to a 42-inch main break that resulted in a “cautionary” boil water advisory concentrated in the Scottdale area. That advisory remains in effect until further notice, the county says.

Here’s a map of the areas affected, which includes about 15,000 residents.

Here’s the latest information:

DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management crews restored service to customers on McLendon Drive at approximately 3 a.m. after repairing a broken water main.

As service is restored, customers in the affected area may experience brown water and are encouraged to run the faucets inside and outside their homes/businesses to clear the internal plumbing.

The cautionary boil water advisory will be rescinded once the water quality data has been reviewed by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.

For more information, contact the DeKalb County Watershed Department at 770-270-6243.

DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond visited the scene Saturday night to watch the repairs. He noted that the main break was complicated by the presence of a power pole, gas lines and a large tree that had to be removed. He said the county will have to repair the street and some of the property damage caused by the break. The old main was made of concrete and had crumbled. It was part of the aging water infrastructure of DeKalb County.

It was an uncomfortable time for the residents of McLendon Drive, but the people living there were gracious to the workers, ordering them pizza and breakfast as they worked to fix the problem.

Thurmond said on Saturday he hopes McLendon, which is still blocked, will be traversable by Monday.

Here’s a photo of the workers hooking up the new main:

Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

Want Decaturish delivered to your inbox every day? Sign up for our free newsletter by clicking here.

If you appreciate our work on this story, please become a paying supporter. For as little as $6 a month, you can help us keep you in the loop about your community.