ATLANTA - City officials have issued a boil water advisory for parts of downtown Atlanta and South Fulton County.
The affected areas include, but are not limited to: Cabbagetown, Edgewood, Old Fourth Ward, West End, Peoplestown, Reynoldstown, Mechanicsville, Summerhill, Avon Avenue and South Fulton County.
Areas east to Moreland Avenue and west of downtown may also experience a loss of water pressure.
Atlanta Watershed Management said residents in these areas should boil water before using it to cook, drink, or brush teeth. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute.
Infants, the elderly and those with immune deficiencies especially heed this warning.
The City of Atlanta said if you experienced a loss of water at your address but your address is not within the area described, you may want to follow these precautions.
The boil water advisory is in place until further notice. Click here for map of affected area.
BOIL WATER ADVISORY: affected areas listed below. Map of affected areas will follow. Please RT and pass along. pic.twitter.com/s87WJPjObw
— City of Atlanta, GA (@Cityofatlanta) July 6, 2017
Businesses are beginning to close because of the advisory. Coca Cola headquarters confirmed they are closing the Atlanta office complex. An official said they had an issue with low water pressure and will remain closed until testing is done.
Deputy Press Secretary for Mayor Kasim Reed, Jewanna Gaither, said the Department of Parks and Recreation is offering bottled water at their summer camp centers as a precaution. The centers are not allowing campers to play outside today to deter any water fountain usage.
The Arthur Blank Family YMCA has shut off water fountains inside the facility and bought bottled water for its campers.
Zoo Atlanta has been given the all clear from their security operations, at 11:30 a.m. today so all of the public water fountains are back on. However, they cannot sell fountain drinks or ICEES at this time. The animals' water was not affected.
The city is also working to repair several water main breaks and a sink hole.
The watershed department said the breaks are not related to the boil water advisory.
THE CAUSE
The Atlanta Department of Watershed Management released a statement saying a power outage at the Hemphill High Service Pump was the cause in the temporary loss of power. That pump is located at the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant which services the areas under the boil water advisory.
Although the city said the issue was resolved within 40 minutes, the boil water advisory will stand for now.
"We have not deemed there to be any contamination, but out of an abundance of caution, we have issued an advisory per protocol," a statement read.
11Alive has crews working to gather more information. Standby for updates.
