Griffin-Spalding County issues 'do not consume' water advisory after Flint River fuel spill

GRIFFIN, Ga. - Officials in all of Spalding County are being warned not to consume the water as of Friday afternoon.

‘Do not consume’ the water

What we know:

The city issued a "Do Not Consume" water advisory after a fuel spill near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport reached the Flint River, potentially threatening the local water supply.

Residents are advised not to drink, cook with, or brush their teeth using tap water until further notice. Authorities warned that boiling the water will not make it safe for consumption and that bottled water should be used instead.

The city was notified earlier Friday of the spill. While initial reports indicated the fuel had not reached the area of Griffin’s water intakes, the city shut down all Flint River intakes "out of an abundance of caution."

Do not use the water

What not to do:

Officials stressed that standard safety methods will not work in this specific situation.

• Do Not Boil: Boiling the water will not make it safe for consumption.
• Use Bottled Water: Customers should use bottled water for all drinking, cooking, and oral hygiene.
• System Flushing: Crews are currently flushing fire hydrants throughout the system to clear the lines.

Griffin's water supply

What's next:

Water production has been moved entirely to the Dr. Brant D. Keller Reservoir in Pike County. Officials confirmed that the reservoir is not affected by the contamination.

As part of the emergency response, the Harry Simmons Water Treatment Plant has been shut down, and crews are flushing fire hydrants across the system to clear the lines.

Staff members have collected water samples from the Harry Simmons plant, the Flint River, and a consumer’s tap. The samples were sent to Eurofins for laboratory analysis, and additional sampling is expected to continue for several days.

Weather in Griffin

Dig deeper:

The FOX 5 Storm Team says Griffin will not see any freezing temperatures until early Saturday morning and just a few snow showers. Residents also are not expecting much in the way of accumulation, probably just a dusting.

‘This is not a hoax’

What they're saying:

"The City of Griffin is committed to protecting public health and safety and will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available and test results are received," the city said in a statement.

The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office also issued an advisory Friday afternoon, reinforcing that bottled water must be used for all consumption.

"Please take this advisory seriously. The following information is from Spalding and City Fire Departments. This is not a hoax," the statement reads in part.

"The Spalding County Water Authority is committed to protecting public health and safety and will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available and test results are received," said General Manager Joseph Johnson.

An Atlanta airport spokesperson issued the following statement:

"Hartsfield-Jackson is actively responding to a fuel spill on the airfield. Response and cleanup efforts are underway, and environmental teams are on scene working with airport partners, the appropriate external agencies and neighboring jurisdictions to manage the situation. The Airport will continue to monitor conditions closely and share additional information as it becomes available."

Other areas of concern

The Clayton County Water Authority (CCWA) confirmed that while a fuel spill near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has reached the Flint River, testing shows no traces of fuel in Clayton’s production facilities.

"We want to assure our customers that CCWA’s drinking water system has not been affected," said Erin Thomas, CCWA communications and community relations director. "CCWA has tested water samples and reviewed operational and water quality reports, confirming that our drinking water remains safe and meets or exceeds all state and federal regulatory standards."

"Out of an abundance of caution, CCWA continues to maintain active communication with state and local agencies and will closely monitor conditions," Thomas said.

Fayetteville also said it is monitoring, but has not been made aware of any issues.

Reporting water in Griffin

What you can do:

The city requested that customers report any unusual taste or odor issues to the Water and Wastewater Department at 770-229-6423. After-hours reports can be made at 770-229-6406 by pressing 6.

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