One lane of Ga. Highway 54 westbound remains closed for about a block for repairs to a large water line ruptured in a construction accident last Thursday, according to Rick Eastin, Fayetteville water and sewer director.

Eastin said the line was inadvertently punctured by a
"subcontractor for Atlanta Gas Light, installing a gas line across the highway" to serve the Autumn Glen residential area under construction. City water workers shut off the line about 45 minutes after the break occurred around 3:30 p.m., he added, but it is not known how much water was lost.

"We were able to hold the system pressure up," Eastin said, "until we isolated the area to repair the line, then we lost pressure." About 900 homes were without water for several hours on Thursday, but by 6 p.m. water service had been restored, he said. What Eastin said was a "precautionary boil-water alert" was in effect from Thursday night until Saturday morning.

"This is the first alert I've had to issue in the eight years I've been here," Eastin said. "But it's better to be sure, to let your residents know what's going on. Anytime the system loses pressure like that it's just better to take the precautions."