Buckhead condo tenants say they've been left without running water for nearly 3 weeks

For nearly three weeks, renters of apartments in a Buckhead condominium complex say they have been living without running water, unable to shower, cook, or use a private bathroom inside their own homes.

Tenants paying up to $2,000 a month in rent told CBS News Atlanta they have received little meaningful information about when the problem will be fixed.

"An explanation wouldn't make a difference," said one tenant who asked not to be identified. "I just want it fixed."

With no usable plumbing inside their apartments, residents say daily life has become a logistical scramble.

"Today, I'm going to the restroom now," one tenant said, explaining they have to leave the property just to use a bathroom at a nearby McDonald's.

Residents say their only communication from building management has come through automated emails and text messages from a system called "Chloe," repeatedly stating the water problem had been resolved, even when faucets inside apartments were still dry.

"We turned the water on," one tenant said. "There's nothing coming out."

The property is managed on behalf of an HOA by Arcan Capital. In a statement to CBS News Atlanta, the company said multiple efforts have already been made to locate and repair the issue.  

In part, the statement reads:  "To date, the City of Atlanta has been out to perform tests in addition to five different plumbing companies…As a result, we have authorized a plumber to replace the main water line starting today."

During a visit to the complex, CBS News Atlanta encountered workers with Atlanta Watershed Management, who have been assessing the situation for weeks.  When asked about the water pressure entering the property, a watershed employee, who asked not to be identified, said the pressure going into the building was normal.

Between the two buildings that make up the complex, near the temporary portable toilets residents have been using, a plumber working on site offered what could be the most direct explanation yet.  

"We're having an issue with a galvanized pipe that connects these two buildings and also goes down to the street," the plumber said.

Replacing the pipe and restoring water are expected to take up to five days, and affected tenants will be compensated for the days they were without water, according to Arcan Capital.