A busy section of Buford Highway was reopened Tuesday evening after a water main break shut down all lanes for most of the day.
The break happened in the area of Woods Creek Lane in Suwanee early Tuesday morning.
Crews quickly got the water shutoff and started digging to get to the busted water main leaving nearby homes, businesses and Roberts Elementary School without water.
Gwinnett Public Schools knew about the break before buses started picking up kids, but did not cancel class or postpone the school day.
“We took what we thought was the appropriate action and that was preparing for some slight delays,” Gwinnett County Schools spokesman Bernard Watson said.
The district had a plan in place and brought in tanks of fresh water.
“We’ve also set up coolers in the hallways for students when they get thirsty and we also have a system in place for when students go to the restroom that puts water in the toilets that flushes it, so we’re taking care of the situation,” Watson said.
The water main was fixed and water restored by midday, but the break caused the road to buckle leaving a big hole across all three lanes.
Buford Highway remained closed throughout the afternoon to stabilize and repair the road.
The county said work on a permanent fix will begin in about a week after inspectors have a chance to asses any damage the break caused under the road.
