A power failure at a water treatment plant has led to a boil water advisory being issued for all residents and businesses in downtown Atlanta and some surrounding areas to the east.

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.

“DWM is currently monitoring operations and systems pressures,” the department said in a press release. “The boil water advisory will remain in place until DWM is cleared to lift the advisory, following completion of sampling protocols.”

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

People can check whether their address is affected by the boil water advisory by going to DWM’s public alerts page.

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.