Boil water advisory lifted in downtown, east Atlanta

Water

May 22nd, 2026

Updated May 23, 2026,
9:52 AM EDT

Cars on the highway are shown in the foreground while the buildings of downtown atlanta are in the background on an overcast day — Downtown Atlanta was put on a boil water advisory on Friday, May 22, 2026. It was lifted Saturday morning. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

A boil water advisory issued on Friday for all residents and businesses in downtown Atlanta and some surrounding areas to the east has been lifted.

The city’s Department of Watershed Management (DWM) said it issued the advisory on Friday morning out of an abundance of caution and to follow the Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s guidance for notifying the public. The power failure took place at the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant on 17th Street.

“Sampling results have confirmed that no contamination was detected in the public water system. Water may now be used for all purposes without boiling,” the department said in a press release Saturday morning. “The City’s drinking water meets or exceeds standards established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as required by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.”

The DWM completed phases one and two of major electrical upgrades to the Hemphill Water Treatment Plant last week and performed testing on Monday and Tuesday.

When to use boiled water instead of tap water during a boil water advisory

Use either bottled water or boiled water for:

Drinking
Brushing teeth
Washing food
Cooking
Making ice
Refilling water for pets
Preparing baby food, with some extra explanation: The Georgia Environmental Protection Division says it is safe to use boiled tap water for baby food, and the agency confirms its guidance is up-to-date. For infants, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends either breast feeding or using ready-to-use formula if possible during a drinking water advisory.

It’s OK to use tap water without boiling for:

Showering or bathing, just be careful to not get water in your mouth
Washing hands (use soap)
Washing clothes
Using the dishwasher if the final rinse temperature reaches 150 degrees or if it’s set to a sanitizing cycle (you can check the manual or ask the manufacturer about the water temperature)
Washing dishes by hand; the CDC recommends adding a bleaching step
Watering plants, including plants you eat

Basically, you don’t want to ingest tap water when there’s a boil water advisory unless it’s been boiled first.

For more, here’s a guide to boil water advisories in Georgia.