Water Main Break Causes Boil Water Advisory, Closes Cherokee High

CANTON, GA — The City of Canton experienced a water main break Friday morning in a 10-inch line from the Bobby Bishop Water Treatment Plant in an area behind the Riverview Cemetery downtown. This break created water loss in the following areas: downtown Canton, Hasty Elementary School, Brown Industrial Park, South Canton, Marietta Highway, Cherokee High School, Pointe at Puckett Creek, Whispering Woods, and the areas fed by the Ridge Pine Storage Tank. Additionally, there are areas of lower pressure system-wide, Canton City Manager Billy Peppers.

As a result of the water issue, the Cherokee County School District has dismissed Cherokee High School for the day and is working with other schools in the Canton water system utilizing mobile water solutions.

UPDATE AT 3:30 P.M.

Repairs continue on the broken water main. Crews are hopeful to be finished with the repairs and began operating the pumps at the Bobby Bishop Water Plant around 5 p.m. Friday, Peppers said.

If you have a medical need for water, contact the Utility Billing Department at 770-704-1502 before 5 p.m.

A boil water advisory will be in effect for portions of the water system serviced by the Amos Road and Ridge Pine Water Tanks. These are shown in the areas highlighted in blue in the map below.

These include downtown Canton, areas along Riverstone Parkway, Reinhardt College Parkway, Marietta Highway, Marietta Road, Bells Ferry to Butterworth, Knox Bridge Highway (not including RiverGreen), Oakdale, Whispering Woods, Point at Puckett Creek, and Brown Industrial Park.

During a boil water advisory, you are encouraged to bring water to a boil and then cool prior to consumption or cooking. If you have discoloration in your water, flush the lines until it runs clear. You do not have to boil water before bathing or washing laundry.

Once the system is operational, the city will take samples from key locations and will test those samples at its laboratory for the next 24 hours to determine when a boil water advisory can be lifted.

To keep up with the status of this work, check the City of Canton's Facebook page, as they are providing hourly updates.

UPDATE AT NOON:

Equipment and materials necessary for the repair to the water main are in place and the site is prepped to begin said repair. Peppers said the city has a hopeful completion of the work by 5 p.m. today.

"We will know more definitively about timing once crews start the work," Peppers said. "After the repair is completed, it will take several hours to recharge the system once the pumps are operating. There will be periods of low-pressure in the system. We are working with our partner water systems on cross-connections to assist in supply."

A boil water advisory will be issued later this afternoon, but Peppers said it will not go into effect until the system is restored. The required water testing is handled at the city's water laboratory at the Bobby Bishop Water Treatment Plant and generally takes 24 hours to process.

"We will issue more information about a boil water advisory on the city's website," Peppers said. "Please continue to stay up-to-date on the progress of this emergency repair by following our social media. If you have specific water questions or needs, please contact the Utilty Billing Department at 770-704-1502."

The remote area of the line (near the Etowah River and railroad track) required the temporary construction of a roadway to gain access with heavy equipment and supplies, Peppers said.

"By 9 a.m., utility crews were able to isolate the break and are currently working to re-route and operate a pumping plan to bring water back into the system and begin refilling tanks," Peppers said. "Areas of low pressure and no water will remain during the morning hours as the repairs are made. At this time, we do not know the full impact of water loss and cannot establish areas for boil water advisories. If you are without water, we are aware of the issue and are working to quickly resolve the situation."

Peppers said the city apologizes for the inconvenience and are working to correct the break and bring the system back into operation.

To keep up with the status of this work, check the City of Canton's Facebook page, as they are providing hourly updates.