Water main in Atlanta breaks, affecting thousands of people

ATLANTA (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Thousands of people across Atlanta are still dealing with the impacts of several key water main breaks.

Boil water advisories have been extended to much of the city. Crews are working around the clock to repair the broken water lines.

Emory Hospital Midtown announced Saturday that it was moving some of its patients to other Emory Hospitals for treatment. The hospital is using six tanker trucks to bring in 58,000 gallons of water to ensure the hospital's cooling towers run properly and keep the air conditioning working.

Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens held a news conference Saturday and apologized to residents for what he described as a lack of communication about status checks regarding the water main breaks.

"My administration understands very clearly how important the city's water supply is. That water is a valuable, a critical resource. Cities cant function and lives can't function without it. It's absolutely at the top of our list."

Mayor Andre Dickens

City officials say they do not know when full water service will return, and the city has set up several water distribution sites for people impacted by the water main breaks.