Boil Water Advisory remains in place for large portion of South Cobb County following water main break 

A boil water advisory in South Cobb County due to the disruption in water service and low pressure in the southwest portion of the county remains in place. The Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority (CCMWA) advised the public on Friday that a 36-inch water main belonging to the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority suffered a break early that morning, which resulted in a brief pressure loss in a portion of the water transmission system. The pressure loss temporarily impacted portions of the Cobb County Water System, the City of Smyrna Water System, and the City of Marietta Water System. The pressure loss impacted the entire City of Austell Water System. Portions of south Cobb County, including the cities of Powder Springs, Austell, Mableton, and sections of Marietta and Smyrna.

Officials from the water authority say the recommended boil water advisory area is generally south of a line from Dallas Highway at the Paulding County line to Midway Road to Lost Mountain Road to Macland Road to Powder Springs Street to Garrison Road and west of South Cobb Drive. This recommended advisory was issued out of an abundance of caution. There is the potential that a health hazard may exist due to microbial contamination in this area that experienced a period without positive pressure.

To protect the public from a potential health hazard, officials are advising customers who have experienced water outages and/or low pressure to use only boiled tap or bottled water for drinking, cooking, or preparing food. Mableton Mayor Michael Owens issued a statement saying “For your safety, I urge all Mableton residents to prioritize using bottled water or boiling water for consumption and cooking until test results confirm that it’s safe,” Owens said. “I’ve been informed that this advisory should be lifted within 24 hours.”

To properly boil tap water for use, customers should:

• Heat water until bubbles come quickly from the bottom of the container;
• Continue heating the water for one minute once it begins to boil;
• Remove the water from the heat source and allow it to cool before use.

During a Boil Water Advisory, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that boiled tap water or bottled water be used for:

• Drinking
• Brushing teeth
• Washing food and preparing food and baby formula
• Making ice
• Drinking water for pets
• Other activities, such as washing clothes and dishes, can be done without boiling tap water.

The advisory is in effect until the Cobb County-Marietta Water Authority has done the appropriate testing to be confident that there is no longer a public health concern. Water customers will be notified immediately when the advisory is lifted.