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Clairmont Road delays expected during Monday commute

A massive clean-up is under way on Clairmont Road after a 30-inch break created flood-like conditions on a busy DeKalb County road.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A two-block stretch of Clairmont Road is still closed after the water main break that happened around 6 a.m. on Saturday.

Clairmont Road is closed near Chamblee between the DeKalb Peachtree Airport and the Chamblee Library. Officials warn of delays during the Monday morning commute and urge area drivers to take alternate routes. One lane going in each direction on Clairmont will be open, Channel 2's Amanda Cook learned at the scene.

Crews are trying to stabilize the substructure of the affected road to make sure it's safe for drivers.
"Looks like a beehive out here. They're really working hard. They worked all night," resident Tom Porter said.
Meanwhile, officials said water was restored on Sunday morning to hundreds of residents. Crews shut off the water early Saturday while they worked on the water main issue.
Channel 2's Shae Rozzi spoke to several residents over the weekend while they endured the wait.

"I've seen a large, large, large volume of water coming from somewhere up the hill," resident Anton Souvorin said.

He bought gallons of water from a local store to deal with little to no water pressure at his house Saturday.

"I got some big jugs for drinking purposes and kitchen purposes," he said. "I also got a few jugs to restock the reservoir in the toilets and for sanitary purposes."

Inside Commercial Electric Services on Clairmont Road, owner Rupert Stemm showed Channel 2 that water is still flowing through the pipes.

Stemm repairs equipment that helps people with a visual impairment.

With the water line work being conducted outside his business, he's concerned about access to his office.

"So far the water is OK, but as far as someone getting out to me, to get equipment out, it's going to be a problem because of how long it's going to be," Simms told Rozzi.

DeKalb County Public Works crews had to tear apart two travel lanes and the center turn lane of Clairmont Road to get to the broken line.

County spokesperson Burke Brennan said the cast iron pipe likely caused it to break.

"This is definitely on the capital improvement project list, part of a $1.35 billion upgrade in water and sewer department," Brennan told Rozzi.

He said the work to overhaul the old lines is slated to be done over the next five years.

Brennan noted the amount of damage done to Clairmont Road and stated repacking and repaving the road could take days.

Souvorin is concerned about the repairs to the road impacting his commute during the workweek.

"That's on my route to work," he said.

Channel 2's Amanda Cook and Shae Rozzi contributed to this report.

WSBTV

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