What happened in December 2022
On December 26, 2022, a boil water advisory followed main breaks over the Christmas weekend in DeKalb County. Pressure fell in the affected areas, and DeKalb said the drop was less than twenty psi. The advisory areas were reported as south of Henderson Road and east of I-285, and by December 28 the county had repaired 17 of 19 main breaks.
The event is useful as a case study. People who knew where their shutoff was, who had water stored and who knew how to flush their pipes came through it faster than those who did not.
What to do while an advisory is active
Household steps
- Boil water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth and making ice, using the time your utility advises.
- Do not use water from the fridge dispenser or ice maker until the advisory is lifted.
- Use bottled or boiled water for pets and for baby formula.
- Showering is generally allowed if you avoid swallowing the water, but follow your utility's guidance.
After the advisory is lifted
The utility will tell you when the water is safe. Then flush your own system. Run cold taps for a few minutes, then hot taps. Replace filter cartridges, empty and refill ice trays and run the ice maker through a few cycles.
Water heaters should be flushed too. Drain a few gallons from the heater's drain valve if you can do so safely, or call us to flush it. See water heater repair if the heater shows rust or sediment afterward.
| Item | What to do | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cold taps | Run for several minutes | Clear stagnant water |
| Hot taps | Run after cold | Flush the heater lines |
| Ice maker | Discard first batches | Clear old water |
| Water filter | Replace cartridge | Filter may hold contamination |
| Dishwasher | Run a hot cycle empty | Sanitize the lines |
Pressure changes can stress your pipes
Main breaks and restarts can send pressure surges through house plumbing. Older fittings sometimes leak after the event, and a new drip under a sink days later may be connected. If your bill rises after an advisory, run the meter test described on our leak detection page.
Know your shutoff before the next event
The main shutoff is usually near the meter or where the line enters the house. Test it once a year. A valve that is stiff or leaking should be replaced before an emergency. In an advisory it also lets you isolate the house if the water appears dirty. If a pipe actually bursts, burst pipe repair covers the response.
Valve age
Old gate valves seize and fail.
Access
A buried or blocked valve takes time to reach.
Replacement
A ball valve replaces a gate valve.
Pressure regulator
Check it if surges are a concern.
For your real number, call (770) 214-4545.
Need help flushing the house?
Call and we can flush the heater and check for post-advisory leaks.
Questions people ask during an advisory
Can I wash my hands? Usually yes with soap and water, as long as you do not swallow it. Can I make coffee? Use boiled water. What about the dishwasher? A hot sanitizing cycle is generally considered acceptable, and the utility's notice gives the exact guidance for the event.
The details differ from one advisory to the next, so read the notice from your utility. The point of this guide is the plumbing side, not a substitute for official public health instructions.
A simple home plan
Be ready before the next one
- Store a few days of drinking water for the household and pets.
- Keep a pot with a lid and a way to boil water if the power is out.
- Know how to shut off the house main and the water heater.
- Keep spare filter cartridges so you can replace them afterward.
- Save your plumber's number and your utility's emergency number.
Signs your own plumbing needs a look afterward
- A new drip under a sink or at a fitting after pressure returned.
- A toilet that runs or a faucet that began to leak.
- Discolored water that does not clear after flushing.
- A meter that moves with everything off.
- A higher bill than the season explains.
Pressure swings can loosen old fittings and dislodge sediment. Most homes come through without trouble. A quick walk-through of the sinks, the water heater and the meter after an event is a cheap way to catch problems early, before they become stains on a ceiling.
Businesses and rentals
Landlords and managers should post notices for tenants and check shared kitchens, ice machines and water fountains. Restaurants have their own rules from the health department. A plumber can help flush a commercial water heater and check backflow protection afterward. Keep records of what was done and when.
Quick reference for the first day
Boil drinking and cooking water for the time your utility states. Skip the ice maker. Store a few extra containers of boiled water in the refrigerator. Write down the time the advisory began and when it ended, since you will need both to know when to flush the house. If anyone becomes ill with stomach symptoms, contact a doctor and tell them about the advisory.
A boil water advisory is a public health measure, and your utility is the authority on when it applies and when it ends. Our role is to help with the pipes, the heater and the flushing afterward.
Sources and standards
Follow the notice from your water utility, and see the CDC guidance on boil water advisories for the public health side. Plumbing work after an event follows the International Plumbing Code (IPC) as adopted in Georgia.
Local note: DeKalb County Watershed Management
Tucker's water comes from the Chattahoochee River, treated at the Scott Candler plant and delivered by DeKalb County Watershed Management. The same system serves nearby DeKalb towns including Stone Mountain and Clarkston.
Gwinnett customers in Norcross and Lilburn are on a different system with Lake Lanier as its source, so a DeKalb advisory does not automatically apply to them.
Questions we hear from homeowners
It lasts until testing shows the water is safe. The utility announces the end.
Use boiled water or a sanitizing rinse. Follow your utility's guidance.
It is a good idea to run the hot taps, and flushing the tank helps if sediment shows.
Usually yes if you avoid swallowing the water, but follow your utility's advice.
Your water utility. We handle the plumbing inside your property.