Fairburn is under a boil water notice, the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management announced Tuesday afternoon.

The water utility asks that residents restrict water use to “critical uses only” while pressure rebuilds in the pipes.

A pump at the Chattahoochee Water Treatment Plant malfunctioned, the utility announced. The boil water notice was issued from “an abundance of caution” in accordance with Georgia Environmental Protection Division guidelines and will remain in force until water samples come back clean, according to the announcement.

Residents, businesses and property owners that have experience water outages or low pressure are advised to boil tap water before using it for drinking, cooking, preparing baby food or brushing teeth; or use bottled water. Tap water should be held at a rolling boil for one minute. People should not drink from public water fountains, the announcement said.

Infants, the elderly and the immunocompromised should be particularly cautious. Using tap water with soap for hand washing and showers should still be safe; but if washing hands to prepare food, use water that has been boiled, the announcement says.

The Department of Watershed Management will be flushing water lines as a precaution. Georgia EPD will determine when the boil water advisory can be lifted.

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