A grenade-type explosive device was discovered hidden beneath Big Creek Lake on Tuesday, posing a significant threat to the drinking water supply for Mobile, Alabama and surrounding communities.
Big Creek Lake, a 3,600-acre man-made reservoir holding 17 billion gallons of water, serves as the primary source of potable water for Mobile and nearby municipalities. The facility produces approximately 60 million gallons of drinking water daily.
According to the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS), divers conducting routine repairs at the dam — also known as the Converse Reservoir — discovered an explosive device hidden underwater on Tuesday. MAWSS stated, “We are fortunate that this device was discovered before it could cause serious damage.”
Following the discovery, MAWSS alerted the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, which initiated a multi-agency response involving federal and local law enforcement agencies including the FBI, Mobile Police Department, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency bomb squads, and the Daphne Search and Rescue Team to secure and neutralize the device.
