DeKalb County residents express concerns over water pipe project

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Dry fire hydrants and low water pressure were a couple of concerns raised Thursday night by some DeKalb County residents.

They are in the BriarCliff Corridor and will be greatly impacted by the BriarCliff Water infrastructure replacement project.

Resident Marshall Lichtenstein asked a panel of experts about the fire hydrant in his cup-de-sac which he says inoperable.

“They totally turned off our fire hydrant,” Lichtenstein said as he addressed a panel of experts including DeKalb Fire and Rescue Chief Darnell Fullum.

“We have a plan in place any time we find what we find a dry hydrant,” said Chief Fullum from the podium. 

Chief Fullum was among several DeKalb County heads addressing safety and water concerns at the BriarCliff Water infrastructure replacement project meeting.

Before it started DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond was shown a new water tanker.

It is one of two new tankers to be utilized, insurance in case of a dry hydrant.

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond told FOX 5, there are other safety measures in place in case fire hydrants come up dry.

“This is one step, there are other steps that have been taken, mutual aid agreements and having, repositioning the assets that we have,” said Thurmond. 

It’s part of the BriarCliff Corridor Water Infrastructure Replacement project, which will lead to the replacement and upgrade of under street water pipes some upwards of 100 years old.

It’s a roughly a two square mile area with the already congested BriarCliff Road as the western boundary. 

Assistant Police Michael Yarbrough told the crowd to expect traffic delays, adding much is being done to help ease the crunch.

“We have really worked hard to insure that there are no road closures throughout the project time line,” said Assistant Police Chief Yarbrough.

Residents were told traffic snarls will be mitigated with pace vehicles and flagmen to allow people and emergency responders easier passage.

For many like Rachel Owens it’s been an issue of low water pressure at home.

“We’ve had some yes, a little here and there and it’s gone completely dry.

Whether water pressure dry hydrants or traffic snarls, the work is scheduled  to begin September 23rd and last about two years

“It needs to happen. I just know it needs to happen, so I’m just going to deal with it,” said Owens.

To visit the project page, click here.

For general project updates contact the DWM Project Information hotline at 1-800-986-1108