The Atlanta water boys have been a huge topic of conversation over the past couple of years, and mayoral candidate Kasim Reed has laid out a strategy for how he plans to address them if elected mayor in November.
The so-called "water boys" are mostly young men who sell bottled water to drivers in Atlanta’s intersections and off highway ramps. Although they are familiar to most long-time residents of the city, they have drawn public and political attention in this year’s mayoral race, as many constituents have spoken out against their sometimes-aggressive and dangerous behavior.
Reed is looking to get the young men off the streets, and wants to put them to work serving water in a more official capacity. He says he plans to hire 200 of the young men to provide water to Public Works and other city employees, with the help of private funding in the amount of $2 million.
Reed plans to partner with Chick-fil-a CEO, Dan Cathy to establish a "home-base" for the water boys at the Junior Achievement Discovery Center on Northside Drive, which Cathy currently funds.
“The same way you show up at the intersection, come show up there. You’re not going to lose; you’re not going to lose a dollar,” Reed said in an interview with the Big Facts Podcast.
While Reed’s plan remains speculative at the moment, it remains to be seen if the city can match the water boy’s current income with a government-funded business. With some water boys taking home as much as $200 cash in a single day, convincing them to leave the exit ramps and come work for the city may be a tough ask.