Cities across the South face water issues, boil notices in wake of winter storms

Fallout from winter storms and frigid temperatures have triggered water issues in cities across the South, including Memphis, Nashville, Atlanta and Charleston, South Carolina.

Officials across the South warned that more water main and pipe breaks may surface as the ground thaws and moves in the days to come.

Much of Memphis was still under a boil water advisory Tuesday as Memphis Light, Gas and Water works to repair several broken water mains. As of Monday night, MLGW said it fixed 20 water main breaks and was working on seven more. Officials said it may take several days to lift the boil water advisory and return water pressure to normal.

Jackson, Mississippi, is under a boil water notice due to a loss of system pressure and declared a state of emergency. The city was plagued by water issues and extended boil notices earlier this year as its aging water system failed. On Friday, Congress passed a budget bill that would direct $600 million toward the beleaguered water system.

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Metro Water Services in Nashville said low water pressure may be due to unidentified breaks.

"Please check on homes of neighbors and family members out of town, and businesses closed for the holidays," the Nashville utility said in a Twitter post Monday afternoon. "A burst pipe can cause extensive property damage and stress the water system if not shutoff quickly."

Atlanta is also experiencing water interruptions and low water pressure due to low temperatures. There was no estimated time of repair, according to a Monday afternoon Twitter post from the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management. Crews were responding to multiple water main breaks Tuesday morning.

In South Carolina, a Charleston water official called ongoing leaks from burst pipes a "major crisis" and urged residents to take action. The Charleston Water System instructed customers to disconnect outdoor hoses and insulate spigots, insulate outdoor pipes and drip indoor faucets overnight.

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While Charlotte, North Carolina, was not experiencing any widespread outages, crews were still responding to calls regarding interrupted service citywide on Tuesday morning. Officials urged residents not to panic and to take precautions to avoid frozen pipes.

"Check with your neighbors and call 311 if multiple houses are without water," Charlotte Water said in a Twitter post.

In Selma, Alabama, the mayor declared a local emergency as leaks and burst pipes put the city at risk of running out of water.

Water issues have also plagued Shreveport, Louisiana, and the surrounding areas. Outages, low pressure and boil orders have blanketed the city. The Barksdale Air Force Base also reported little to no water pressure and was placed under a boil water notice Monday.

A boil water advisory is also in place for part of Sebastian County, Arkansas. The county's emergency management team dispatched large water tanks to two rural fire departments and said it may be several days before water is fully restored.

Misty Castile, Robert Medley, Jemma Stephenson and members of the Shreveport Times and The Commercial Appeal staff contributed to this story.