UPDATE: Slide the City closing at 1 p.m. due to water leak and pressure issues
The latest from the city of Decatur …
Due to the ongoing issues with a DeKalb County water main break the decision has been made to shut down today’s Slide the City event by 1 p.m. Ticket holders will be contacted by Slide the City in the near future about refunds, etc.
Because many buildings are without air conditioning (A/C system requires water), cooling centers are in the process of being established around the city. As soon as those locations are determined (we want to make sure they have water and functioning restrooms) an update will be posted here.
DeKalb County continues to tweet updates via @ItsInDeKalb.
Slide the City has sent the following message to ticket holders …
Slide the City Decatur Has Been Postponed
As many of you know, there has been a major main water break in Dekalb County. Crews have been working on the issue night and day, and hope to have it fixed soon.
We were able to open the slide briefly this morning, but the water pressure to the rest of the city was still very low. Dekalb County Emergency Management is requiring we shut down right at 1PM due to the water line not being fixed. We will have to shut down the slide for the day, and postpone the event to a future date.
Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to host our event without a proper water source. We apologize about the late notice, and are very disappointed we will not be sliding with you this weekend.
We will be working with the City of Decatur to schedule a new Slide the City date in your town. The new date will be communicated with you as soon as something is solidified.
Please pass the news along to your friends and family.
As always, you can email [email protected] if you have any questions.
Slide the City
The city reported that 3,600 tickets had been sold for the event.
The city also announced it is opening cooling centers for people without air conditioning and water …
If you have a lack of water or A/C (or perhaps both) and need a cool place with working restrooms, please go to the Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore St. or Ebster Gym in the Beacon Municipal Center (at the corner of Trinity & Electric Ave – entrance is on Electric Ave.). Both locations have confirmed that they currently have water and air conditioning.
DeKalb County said earlier this morning that crews working overnight fixed a water main break and that water pressure would be restored soon.
But the water main has broken again and it’s still gushing water.
It seems we may have a problem with that water main fix.
— DeKalb County, GA (@ItsInDeKalb) July 25, 2015
The water main fix did not hold. While re-pressurizing water lines, the patch failed. Crews still on scene. pic.twitter.com/VLnMbU3pyz — DeKalb County, GA (@ItsInDeKalb) July 25, 2015
The county is saying the water pressure will return for now, but the leak persists …
No plans to depressurize the water lines at this time. Despite the leak, water pressure is returning and we are exploring all options
— DeKalb County, GA (@ItsInDeKalb) July 25, 2015
Pressure returning to lines. Customers should get normal pressure soon, but repairs still need to be made. There is still a leak. — DeKalb County, GA (@ItsInDeKalb) July 25, 2015
We are exploring all options to ensure minimal impact to customers.
— DeKalb County, GA (@ItsInDeKalb) July 25, 2015
This break affects residents in Tucker, Druid Hills, Avondale Estates, Decatur and Stone Mountain. — DeKalb County, GA (@ItsInDeKalb) July 25, 2015
The county released a lengthier statement on the issue at 10:26 a.m.
Water Main Status Update
DECATUR, Ga. – DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management crews continue to work on a repair to a breach on a 48-inch main transmission line at Henderson Mill and Evans Road.
Overnight, workers reduced pressure in the line to allow for the excavation of the site so repairs can be made. The problem was controlled and crews began the process of restoring pressure at 7 a.m, however the repair did not hold up under increased pressure.
Watershed Management has hired a contractor to assist in this repair. At this time, the county and the contractor are exploring all options to fix the leak without reducing pressure for customers.
The water system was not compromised during this repair so no boil water advisory is indicated at this time. The system will have additional testing today to ensure the water supply remains safe.
The water pressure issue began on Thursday, July 23. The county says a mower hit a fire hydrant on a 48 inch main transmission line at Henderson Mill and Evans Road. That led to drastically low or no pressure on Thursday evening and sporadically on the afternoon of Friday, July 24. Businesses opted to close early or stop serving food altogether while DeKalb County made the repairs. The city of Decatur said on Saturday morning that the water pressure issue wouldn’t affect Saturday’s Slide the City event in downtown Decatur. Slide the City transformed W. Ponce de Leon Avenue into a 1,000 foot water slide. Earlier in the day, the city said on Facebook that the water main break would not be stopping the event …
Slide the City is on! We won’t let a little water main break get in our way!!!
Posted by Downtown Decatur on Saturday, July 25, 2015
City spokesperson Casie Yoder said, “The slide uses a re-circulation system. So just like a swimming pool once there is water in the slide you don’t have to keep putting new water into it.”
Crews with 11 Alive news were on the scene when the water main fix failed …
RT @Chris11Alive Was fixed now gushing again. #11Alivepic.twitter.com/bmyVNUam6Cpic.twitter.com/IsYGgVx8nf
— 11Alive News (@11AliveNews) July 25, 2015
Later 11 Alive reported via Twitter that a DeKalb official is saying they’ll let the water flow for now while crews figure out a fix for the problem …
#dekalb spokesperson: going to let the water flow so everyone will have water. Will figure out how to fix it next. #11Alive
— Chris Hopper (@Chris11Alive) July 25, 2015
A reporter from Fox 5 posted this video on Twitter …
no diving board? @Claire_FOX5: Uh oh…water flowing again at site of @ItsInDeKalb water main break. @FOX5Atlanta pic.twitter.com/C6lnsF1QZO” — Dale Russell (@DaleRussellFox5) July 25, 2015
WSB-TV is confirmed a problem with the fix as well …
@SteveGWSB with setback on @ItsInDeKalb water main break fix in just 10 mins. on @wsbtv– Water gushing again now. — Sophia Choi (@SophiaWSB) July 25, 2015
Pallookaville in Avondale Estates is reporting it won’t open for brunch because of the issue with the water pressure.
We cannot open for Brunch due to the ongoing issues with DeKalb County Watershed Management’s handling of the ongoing water main repair. We understand your frustration with the situation as we share the same irritation. We are now in day three of of the “repair.” We’d like to commend DeKalb County on it’s stellar communication with it’s residents, tax payers and businesses. You can decide where the sarcasm takes over. Hopefully we will be open for Lunch. Stay strong.
Residents have been lighting the county up on Twitter this morning …
@ConleyPerry @ItsInDeKalb I’m thinking of walking down to Slide the City with a bucket so I can get water to flush my damn toilet.
— KristenAnna (@MiddleAgedGoth) July 25, 2015
@AndrewChampNews @ItsInDeKalb They are trying to make it look good from a PR standpoint. Hopefully they have learned a lesson from this — Everett Broady (@EverettBroady1) July 25, 2015
Special thanks to @ItsInDeKalb @DeKalbCountyGA for turning the water off to it’s PAYING customers with NO advance notice this morning! — Danielle V. Jackson (@DanielleJackson) July 25, 2015
@ItsInDeKalb I know you all are working hard to fix the break. Anyway you could provide an eta when we will have water? #thirsty — Ashley Rouse (@Treegrubber) July 25, 2015
@AndrewChampNews @ItsInDeKalb It is ashame, we live in Stone Mountain and still have no water. — Everett Broady (@EverettBroady1) July 25, 2015
@ItsInDeKalb will water pressure be restored soon so y’all can figure out next steps? Still no water in #Decatur be nice to have H2O 4 bit. — Debra Furtado (@debrafurtado) July 25, 2015
@ItsInDeKalb Just so you know, this is coming out of my water bill. #DekalbProblems #WhereIsTheWater pic.twitter.com/hw1ndJmj4J — Peter (@pk30030) July 25, 2015
@ItsInDeKalb @DeKalbNewsNow when can we expect it to be repaired and water flowing to our homes again? — KalypsoDiva (@KalypsoDiva) July 25, 2015
@ItsInDeKalb But yet a GIANT water slide will still have water today?! Just not residents of the entire county? Awesome. — Conley Perry (@ConleyPerry) July 25, 2015
Here are earlier updates from DeKalb County:
Water pressure is being restored presently. Most areas should be back to normal in 1-2 hours — DeKalb County, GA (@ItsInDeKalb) July 25, 2015
Water leak plugged. Water pressure should be restored soon pic.twitter.com/sudKENW7rE — DeKalb County, GA (@ItsInDeKalb) July 25, 2015
Still working this pic.twitter.com/RVrqb9Mxjm — DeKalb County, GA (@ItsInDeKalb) July 25, 2015
Crews still working to fix the water main in DeKalb… pic.twitter.com/lncTiBzMx1 — DeKalb County, GA (@ItsInDeKalb) July 25, 2015