A boil water advisory for Sandy Springs earlier this week has been lifted, but Atlanta continues to feel the effects of a recently breached 48-inch transmission main. Repairs were completed on the water main break by 9 a.m. Monday morning, putting an end to the rising muddy waters on Riverside Road near Don White Memorial Park. However, Children’s Scottish Rite Hospital is still hustling to get back on schedule after several surgeries were scrapped due to the boil water advisory.
“Just the impact that it had on the whole system, it made us realize that there is a lot going on there is a lot of gears moving,” Teresa Byers told Atlanta News First. Her daughter was scheduled to have a spinal fusion surgery Monday morning for her scoliosis, but they received a call on Sunday night that the surgery had been scrapped.
“One situation miles away, and how it can affect an entire hospital system, is mind-boggling,” she said. “But Children’s Healthcare, I mean they were on it immediately and [Children’s] will move mountains for their patients.”
According to a Children’s Healthcare spokesperson that issued a statement to the local news outlet, the boil water advisory caused the hospital to cancel a number of surgeries and divert trauma patients to other nearby area hospitals between Sunday and Monday.
“Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta was notified Sunday of a large water main break in Sandy Springs that impacted the Scottish Rite campus and other Children’s locations in the area,” they said. “Our staff deployed drinking water, water to flush toilets, and spot coolers throughout the campus as the water main break impacted the water pressure and effectiveness of the air conditioning system.
“Water pressure and cooling have now been restored at Scottish Rite Hospital and we have lifted our trauma diversion. We are resuming scheduled surgeries tomorrow at all sites. We are working with county and infection prevention experts for optimal patient safety and will continue to follow the boil water advisory until it is lifted by the Department of Watershed Management. We will resume standard services tomorrow that can be provided with alternative water sources including bottled and sterile water.”
About the Author
