A failed pipe coupling flooded multiple areas of the Fulton County Jail on Saturday morning, damaging computer servers that were replaced three months ago after similar flooding.
What’s Happening: Detention staff reported a water leak from a toilet in a third-floor medical unit bathroom at 5:00 a.m. on January 31. Maintenance personnel tried to tighten the coupling, but it failed during the repair, releasing an estimated 70,000 gallons of water. The flooding affected the front entrance and lobby, medical clinic, officer’s dining room, portions of the server room, and courtrooms.
What’s Important: The flooding damaged servers that were replaced at a cost of $1 million after a pipe burst on October 11, during a planned repair. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office is still assessing the full damage. Water service was temporarily shut off and has been restored. No inmate resident housing units were affected.
How This Affects Real People: The front lobby is closed until at least 7 a.m. on Sunday, February 1. All employees and contractors must enter through the back entrance. The front parking lot should only be used by individuals picking up residents who have been released.
What Happens Next: Water restoration contractors are extracting standing water and assessing additional remediation needs as of 5:00 p.m. Saturday. The sheriff’s office will complete its damage assessment.
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.