Banks County water issues leave many without water for days
Banks County residents without water for 4 days
The part of Banks County the City of Baldwin provides water for is under a boil water advisory until the issue is resolved, which City leaders say should be in the next couple of days.
BALDWIN CO., Ga. - Some people in Banks County have gone 4 days without water.
Water issues begin
What we know:
The issue started on Thursday when a water main ruptured on Old U.S. Highway 441.
The break was repaired on Friday, but water is taking time to re-pressurize, according to Baldwin city officials.
On Monday, crews said some water was restored to parts of the city.
Neighbors along 441 in Banks County were pleased to see their water come back on Monday, but they're still under a Boil Water Advisory until the lines can get back to full pressure.
Problem with pipes
What they're saying:
Baldwin's mayor said the issue is due to an aging water infrastructure.
"They're all 50 to 60 years old. So the PVC is letting go," Mayor Stephanie Almagno said. "You risk breaking down the mountain. So, re-pressurization is slow."
That slow re-pressurization is responsible for the extended outage, she said.
Residents respond
What they're saying:
People affected by the outage are over it.
"Dishes are piling up, and laundry’s piling up. When you have a family, it tends to pile up very quickly. So, you know, it’s been a pain in the butt—I’m not gonna lie. It’s been rough," said Keith Freeman.
He said the city is experiencing water outages often. "Probably within the last year, it’s been regular—like, at least once a month, maybe once every two months—some kind of water main break," Freeman said.
Shay Snow lives in the area affected by the outage. She's battling stage 4 cancer currently and has to go to a hotel to shower, which is getting expensive for her.
"I can’t get too hot because if I do, it just sets me in a spiral, so the cold showers are really what helps a lot," Snow said.
Boil water
What's next:
The city is under a boil water advisory while the water woes are worked out.
There's no timeline for when it will be lifted.
"We’re hoping within the next couple of days. But this is still serious. Our guys are still in the hole. They’ve worked constantly since Thursday," Almango said.
Almagno says the city needs to replace the aging pipes, but she says the approximate cost would be around $6 million.
She says they're working to figure out how they can afford that cost, which exceeds their annual budget by $2 million.
Freeman agrees the current water situation is not sustainable. "It's only going to get worse and worse the more people move in, the more houses they build," he said.
City providing help
What you can do:
The Baldwin fire station at 165 Willingham Avenue is open for people to get water, and the Habersham County Aquatic center at 120 Paul Franklin Road is available for people to shower.
The Source: Information for this article came from Baldwin city leaders, the Baldwin Facebook page, and FOX 5's Eric Mock speaking to residents in Baldwin.