Thousands are still stuck under a boil water advisory as crews work around the clock to fix a water main break.
BROOKHAVEN, Ga. - Thousands remain under a boil water advisory as crews continue to work on repairing a water main break on Clairmont Road in DeKalb County. Steel Pipe Exporter
At 11 a.m. on Thursday, officials say they have completed work repairing the broken pipe that affected over 8,000 households.
The boil water notice is in place until further notice.
The significant water main break occurred along Clairmont Road in Brookhaven, affecting approximately 8,800 households and over 20,000 residents in the Toco Hills area and nearby neighborhoods. The break happened between Manville Drive and Dresden Drive, blocking a portion of the busy roadway. The 30-inch cast iron pipe, installed in 1941, failed due to its age, leading to substantial service disruptions.
DeKalb County water crews are still working to fix a water main on Clairmont Road near Dresden Drive nearly 48 hours after it broke. FOX 5 Atlanta discovered that break is not only affecting businesses, but also the children receiving care at Children's Health of Atlanta's Arthur M. Blank Hospital.
The water main break occurred along Clairmont Road in Brookhaven and is impacting approximately 8,800 households and over 20,000 residents in the Toco Hills area and nearby neighborhoods.
The break happened between Manville Drive and Dresden Drive, blocking a portion of the busy roadway.
DeKalb County officials acknowledged the extensive damage to the infrastructure, which they say is becoming more common.
"What we're dealing with here today, it's unfortunate, but it's unfortunately not unique," said DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson.
On Thursday, crews say they had installed a specialty valve onto the pipe so that they could shut the water off easily in the future. Following the repairs, teams will flush and pressurize the pipe and then test levels.
They expect it to take a couple of hours to get the test results.
Detours remain in place and motorists are advised to avoid the area if possible.
The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management have been working to repair the damaged pipe since Sunday night.
While repairs were taking place, many residents and businesses were experiencing low to no water pressure.
Crews had previously reported difficulties in shutting off water to the area to complete the repairs.
On Wednesday morning, the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management issued a boil water advisory for the area bounded by Moreland Avenue on the west, Candler Street and Clairmont Avenue on the east, Mason Mill on the north, and Hosea Williams on the south.
The advisory doesn't impact anyone who receives water service from the city of Atlanta.
Thousands of people in DeKalb County are under a boil water order while crews continue fixing a broken water main. FOX 5 Atlanta spoke to employees at nearby businesses who rely on the water to service their clients.
Shivang Gieri, an Emory University freshman, described the restrictions in place on the campus. "They said not to use the water to brush our teeth and, like, when you shower, don't put it in your mouth. And obviously, like, don't use it for drinking," Gieri said.
A break in the water line has meant no line of customers on Wednesday for Top Express Car Wash. It is one of the many places impacted by the water main break near the intersection of Clairmont Road and Dresden Drive in Brookhaven.
"We have no running water so we're unable to wash cars right now," General Manager Taylor Curtis said.
For a business that relies on water, the loss of it is ironic considering it is one of the main things needed to clean cars.
"Especially right after the snow and all the ice, we already shut down and so, with this happening right behind, it will definitely put a dent in the business," Curtis said.
A water main break has left 20,000 people under a boil water advisory in DeKalb County.
The break on Clairmont Road occurred late Monday night, and the boil water advisory began on Wednesday.
Officials say the water break caused a small section of the system to briefly drop below a 20 PSI threshold, which triggered the advisory.
While officials don't have an exact time for service to be restored, they brought in two crews to help fix the breaks.
The boil water is expected to continue into Thursday morning.
Officials tell FOX 5's Marc Teichner that the impacted section of Clairmont Road will be "passible" by the end of Wednesday with crews repaving the area over the weekend depending on the weather.
Thousands of people in DeKalb County remain under a boil water order as crews work for a second day to fix a broken water main break. That order includes area hospitals.
Bottled water is being handed out at the RaceTrac gas station on the corner of Clairmont Road and Dresden Drive after a nearby water main break in Brookhaven on Jan. 14, 2025. (FOX 5)
Residents experiencing water service issues or requiring additional information are encouraged to contact the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management by email or by calling 770-70-6243.
Water conservation is strongly encouraged until the issue is fully resolved.
Bottled water is being dispatched to several distribution centers, including:
Emory Healthcare said that teams are continuing to provide care at locations affected by the advisory. Bottle water is also available for patients and staff members at these facilities:
The Source: Information for this story came from workers at the scene and the Brookhaven Police Department. Details from the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management were also used. This article has been updated since originally published to provide new details.
All the news you need to know, every day
By clicking Sign Up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
Underground Gas Pipe This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2025 FOX Television Stations