Water main break forces school closures in Decatur

A water main break Friday in DeKalb County prompted school closures and depleted water pressure.

Water spilled into the residential area around the 800 block of McClendon Drive throughout the morning. DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management crews were able to isolate the break and stopped the flow of water.

But by late afternoon, crews were still working to remove a large tree at the site of the break that was impeding their effort to make the repairs, county officials said in a statement. As of 4 p.m. Friday, workers had not been able to estimate the amount of time the repair would take, but the materials needed were on site.

A pallet of bottled water was available near the intersection of McLendon Drive and North Avenue for customers affected by the break as of 1:40 p.m.

City Schools of Decatur, which has about 5,500 students, closed all schools and offices Friday, and notified families that the repairs were expected to take at least five hours. Most Decatur schools had no or low water pressure, the small school system stated. And officials expect the pressure would decrease “due to the magnitude of the water main break.”

Some children were already at school when the issue occurred, and district officials urged parents to pick their children up as soon as possible. After-school activities and athletics were also canceled.

Students and staff at five schools in the larger DeKalb County School District were relocated to other schools while the break was being fixed, district officials said. Avondale Elementary, DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts, DeKalb School of the Arts, McClendon Elementary and Robert Shaw Elementary have sent out communications advising parents of the relocation. Students will receive lunches at the accommodating schools.

Amber Dixon, whose children are in kindergarten and fifth grade at McClendon Elementary in the DeKalb County School District, was picking her children up from the school on Friday morning. The school had no running water, she said.

“I’m sure they’re dealing with a lot,” she said. “There’s obviously parents who don’t have any other options.”

In her neighborhood near the school, Dixon said some people were trapped inside their homes because of the water outside their homes.

Emory University alerted students Friday morning the water main issue may result in “some slight discoloration to the water” because of sediment in the line. “The campus water supply remains safe to drink and use,” Emory police said in a post on X. An Emory spokeswoman said the university hasn’t seen any issues associated with the water main break.

DeKalb County is expected to provide more updates throughout the repair.

Students and staff at five schools in the larger DeKalb School District were relocated to other schools while the break was being fixed, district officials said. By late afternoon, crews were still working to make the repairs.

PHOTOS BY JOHN SPINK/JOHN.SPINK@AJC.COM County crews work Friday to direct traffic and fix a broken water main on McClendon Drive in DeKalb County. Decatur City Schools and offices closed and notified families.