ATLANTA — Many businesses and residents are still without water Saturday night, as the city remains under a state of emergency.
A water main break that still remains overflowing in Midtown has damaged nearby businesses and impacted operations for some. Saturday afternoon, the window could be seen blown out of the Eleventh Street Pub off West Peachtree Street and 11th Street due to the nearby water break.
Kenan Loomis, who was headed to dinner at The Steamhouse Lounge off 11th Street, was surprised to see the restaurant had closed for the day.
“It’s definitely hampering my dinner plans. (I will) probably pop over to a different neighborhood. Not in Midtown, that’s for sure," Loomis said.
Officials said it all unfolded Friday morning around 8 a.m. when two water mains broke near Joseph E. Boone Boulevard and James Brawley Drive.
Anniah Ducre, who doesn't live far from that location, said she's now gone without water for over 30 hours.
“Not even being able to brush your teeth. Having to go other places just to take a shower. (I) can’t even use the bathroom. That’s the hard part for me," Ducre said.
Atlanta Watershed said the sections of pipes that were damaged are at least 80 years old. They say the breaks happened when three different lines came together carrying a large amount of water, leading to water outages and low water pressure.
The impacted areas now include Downtown, Midtown, and southwest Atlanta. On Saturday, the mayor apologized for the city's lack of communication.
“Thought the solution was closer than it actually was, so the communication didn’t come as fast, but now you’re going to get it every two hours because you deserve it," Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said.
There is no timetable for when the Midtown water main break will be repaired, according to the mayor.