DeKalb County is currently working on repairs to its second water main break of the academic year, which prompted Emory University to warn residential students of potential water pressure issues and slight discoloration from sediment in the line in an email this morning. The University’s water supply is still safe to use and drink, but Emory will be monitoring campus for any problems with the water pressure, according to the email.
The damage occurred on the 800 block of McLendon Drive, about five miles from Emory’s Atlanta campus. A portion of the road collapsed due to the break. Georgia Power crews arrived at the scene this morning to secure a compromised power pole so the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management could begin repairs. By 2 p.m., DeKalb Watershed Management isolated the main break on McLendon Drive and stopped the flow of water.
Kaiyang Zhu (26C), who lives in Harris Hall, said the water in his dorm’s sink has been “brownish yellow” throughout the day, but the pressure has been normal. He first noticed the discoloration around 8 a.m.
Kaiyang Zhu (26C), a Harris Hall resident, said his dorm room’s water has been discolored since the main break. Courtesy of Emory University
City Schools of Decatur (CSD) closed all schools and offices today due to safety and sanitation concerns from the main break, which left only two of CSD’s 10 schools with any water pressure, according to a pop-up alert on CSD’s website. DeKalb County School District (DCSD) also relocated five schools’ students and staff to other DCSD schools and MARTA closed the restrooms at five rail stations on the Blue Line, including the Decatur station, due to the lack of water pressure.
DeKalb Watershed Management is currently offering bottled water to individuals impacted by the main break at the intersection of McLendon Drive and North Avenue.
This comes after water main breaks on nearby Clifton and Oxford roads caused water shut-offs and pressure difficulties in some buildings on campus in October 2023, forcing the University to provide water dispensers for students around campus. The Robert W. Woodruff Library also closed shortly before 9 p.m. and forced hundreds of students to leave after a pipe broke in the second floor men’s bathroom in a likely connection to the main break.
Zhu explained that his dorm’s water was completely shut off for about a day and was “really brown” when it turned back on after October’s water main break. DeKalb County completed repairs on the break by the next morning.
The University does not have further updates at this time as DeKalb Watershed Management continues working on repairs, according to Associate Vice President of University Communications Laura Diamond.
“It’s slightly weird that we pay this ridiculous tuition and then our water in our dorm quality is just not the best, but also I understand that this is not in Emory’s hands,” Zhu said. “It’s a little frustrating.”
Madi Olivier is from Highland Village, Texas, and is majoring in psychology and minoring in rhetoric, writing and information design. Outside of the Wheel, she is involved in psychology research and works for the Trevor Project. In her free time, you can find her trying not to fall while bouldering and watching Criminal Minds with her cat.
