The recent water main breaks in Atlanta have precipitated a response from city officials to provide financial aid to those businesses affected. Starting this Monday, local establishments can apply for a share of the $7.5 million relief fund authorized by the City Council. The allocated funds are directed at supporting businesses that suffered revenue losses and had to furlough employees as a result of the water infrastructure failure. According to Atlanta News First, applications for the grant program, managed by Invest Atlanta, open on June 24 at 8 a.m. and will remain open until 5 p.m. on July 8, 2024.

Under the weight of forfeited sales and operational disruptions local businesses had to quickly adapt or to wither. Invest Atlanta's program aims to alleviate some of the financial strain by July 29 when awardees will be notified of their application status. The relief funding stems from the Department of Watershed Management's budget, with an expiration on unused funds by June 30, 2025, which, according to 11Alive, will then revert to the Water & Wastewater Revenue Fund.

One of the affected businesses, the Steam House Lounge on West Peachtree Street, witnessed a water main break in the proximity of their doorstep. "We didn’t receive any damage, luckily, but our staff was out of work for a week, and it was actually pretty financially hard for them," Holly Webb of the establishment, told 11Alive. She further mentioned the intent to apply for funding to assist the staff that supported them through tough times.

Another local business owner, Antonio Brown of Stir House Atlanta, reported a loss of around $9,000 due to the water ordeal but expressed heartfelt gratitude towards the city's leadership. "I commend Mayor Andre Dickens. I commend Invest Atlanta and Councilman Westmoreland for all coming together to support small businesses like ours," Brown told 11Alive. He described the relief fund as a profound gesture by the city that "means the world to us."

Small businesses impacted by the recent water crisis can find more details on the grant application process by visiting the Invest Atlanta website. The window for submitting an application is narrow, and business owners like Brown and Webb who have stories of financial hardship are encouraged to apply as soon but as responsibly as possible in order to take advantage of the relief being offered.