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Driller Mike plows under Atlanta for city’s stable future

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Tunnel-boring machine is making its way from the Chattahoochee River to Bellwood Quarry

Killer Mike is a hip hop artist, songwriter, and actor from Atlanta. Driller Mike is a gargantuan drill that’ll create a tunnel, which in turn will ultimately provide Atlanta with a 30-day supply of emergency drinking water.

Atlanta INtown reports that Driller Mike is well on its way to connecting Bellwood Quarry on the city’s Westside with the Hemphill Water Treatment plant and the Chattahoochee River.

The five-mile tunnel will allow 2.4-billion gallons of water to flow into the abandoned quarry, providing a backup water supply for the city. But beyond its preparedness function, the reservoir will also serve as the centerpiece for what’ll become Atlanta’s largest park.

While the $300-million infrastructural project may seem drastic, the move prepares the city for future growth and could prevent a calamity — such as a total loss of water — that could cost $100 million a day.

The tunnel should be completed by the end of next year, with the development of the park surround Bellwood Quarry following. Can’t come soon enough.