Many Atlanta small business owners who suffered financial losses during the city’s summer water outage crisis are still waiting for promised relief funds.
The water main breaks in early June cut off a large swath of the city. Crews worked overtime to excavate and replace corroded pipes — some were more than 80 years old, according to Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management. Among the chaotic incidents: hospitals stopped surgeries, rapper Megan Thee Stallion had to cancel two major Atlanta concerts, and some residents were forced to boil or drink bottled water for nearly a week, even after water was restored.
Community organizer Devin Barrington Ward, with the local Black Futurists Group, has been a major player in pushing city officials to draft legislation and act quickly to support those business owners who had to shutter their doors or took a financial hit.
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