Divers Find Underwater Explosive Device That Threatened City’s Drinking Water

Divers in Mobile, Alabama, stumbled upon an improvised explosive device earlier this week that had been placed underwater at a dam in what authorities are calling an “unprecedented threat” to the city’s drinking water.

A diving team that was surveying the J.B. Converse Reservoir dam for routine maintenance on Tuesday found a grenade-like IED, according to Mobile’s Fox 10 News. The divers immediately notified authorities, sparking a multi-agency response that included the FBI Bomb Squad. The IED was safely removed from the reservoir and detonated. The reservoir, which holds around 17 billion gallons of water, is federally designated as critical infrastructure.

“This is an unprecedented threat, and we are fortunate that this device was discovered before it could cause serious damage to our water supply or harm to individuals,” said Bud McCrory, the director of the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System. “We are grateful for the professionalism and competency of our law enforcement partners — as well as the quick thinking of our contractors and divers — in identifying this device and safely destroying it.”

“Our top priority is keeping your drinking water safe,” McCrory added.

The response also included officers from the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Mobile Police Department Explosive Ordinance Detail, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Bomb Squad, and the Daphne, Alabama, Search and Rescue Team.

Local officials notified the Department of Homeland Security after the explosive was discovered. Authorities have not identified a suspect as of Thursday morning.

The Mobile Area Water and Sewer System said it plans to increase security around the dam following the troubling find. The reservoir, built in 1952, is protected from surrounding developments by 9,000 acres of land.