Atlanta Water Boys: Survival, Money, and Violence … Is There a Resolution? The Atlanta water boys are the young men — mostly teens — who are often seen off some interstate exits around Georgia’s capital city selling bottled water. The issue of the Atlanta water boys has gained a lot of attention recently online and among political officials in Atlanta. Although the intent of the young men is to make a living wage, there have been various altercations that turned dangerous for the water boys and motorists. Atlanta City Councilman Howard Shook expressed empathy for life circumstances that may be driving the teens to take this type of business route, but he also voiced concerns with the level of danger and violence their methods present to the community. “I think most of them are well-intended and trying to earn some income, but we have had kids clipped by cars, we’ve had water boys shot at, we’ve had customers shot at, we’ve had water boys shoot at other water boys, we’ve had people trying to rob water boys and relieve them of their day’s profit. I don’t know how many more warnings we have to get before something really really tragic happens,” said Councilman Shook.