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Atlanta officials to vote on water relief
The Atlanta City Council is expected to vote on a fund that would help small business owners who were affected by recent water main breaks.
ATLANTA – The Atlanta City Council is expected to vote Monday on a $5 million water relief fund aimed at helping small businesses still recovering from the effects of recent shutoffs.
The water may be back on, but the impact of the two major water main breaks that began on May 31 is far from over.
Two major water main breaks in Midtown and Vine City caused many people to lose water for days, including small businesses. Some had to temporarily close their doors or adjust the way they do business.
“I’d say I lost about $3,000. I’m a small business owner who’s already hanging on to a vine right now,” Lance Robertson, co-owner of SBD+, told FOX 5 Atlanta earlier this month.
RELATED NEWS: How much money did the Atlanta water crisis cost local businesses?
After workers completed repairs to the broken water main, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens made a surprise visit to a City Council meeting to announce the creation of a $5 million relief fund for businesses.
Mayor Andre Dickens at City Council meeting
“This ordinance will allow us to provide some support to institute a program at Invest Atlanta to provide support to Atlanta small businesses that have been negatively impacted by this weekend’s events related to the interruption of water service. We want to help them regain your balance.” Dickens said.
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Atlanta water crisis: financial impact
While water may be back in the city of Atlanta following major water main breaks last week, the financial impact is far from over.
While it will help, experts say it probably won’t cover all small business losses.
“They can cover pennies on the dollar, maybe 25 cents or maybe 10 cents on the dollar. It’s certainly helpful, but it probably won’t cover everything. But again, I think it would be very difficult for the city.” get funds to cover everyone’s potential losses,” explained Tom Smith, a finance professor at Emory University.
FURTHER: Will Atlanta’s water crisis affect your next bill?
If the fund is approved, applications will be published on Monday 24 June and will close on 8 July.
The city and Invest Atlanta will host a webinar at 5 a.m. Monday to discuss the plan.
Efforts to improve Atlanta’s water system
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Atlanta works to address the consequences of the water crisis
The mayor and city council of Atlanta want to get ahead of the water crisis that has been plaguing our city for five days. Mayor Andre Dickens has already announced that the city will set aside $5 million to help businesses that were negatively affected by the water main break, but what about residents?
With the city’s infrastructure improving, there is concern that another water main break could occur again.
To try to prevent another event, the city will begin installing devices on valves that can electronically detect and report leaks, said Department of Watershed Management Commissioner Al Wiggins Jr. He said the pilot program was already planned before the leaks. . Wiggins also said the city will step up inspections and look to fix some other valves that aren’t working properly.
Dickens said that would be part of a broader effort to examine the city’s water system, including assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a panel he announced would be led by former Mayor Shirley Franklin and Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber Executive Director Katie Kirkpatrick. She said she would also consider reordering the city’s capital improvement plans to prioritize water system improvements.
RELATED NEWS: Atlanta Water Crisis: Where Was Mayor Andre Dickens?
The mayor said he would seek more federal funding, but warned that the work could be very costly.
“I want us to be the example of how to solve it, everything. And that will be a number of B: billions. It will not be a small number,” Dickens said. “But I think that will give more confidence to our residents.”
Atlanta voters have supported the improvements. Last month, they approved continuing a 1-cent sales tax to pay for water and sewer improvements.
FOX 5’s Kim Leoffler and the Associated Press contributed to this report.