DeKalb CEO addresses work to fix water bill crisis

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Thousands of DeKalb County homeowners who are in the middle of a water bill crisis are getting answers from the county's CEO.

Michael Thurmond held the first of three public meetings Tuesday to reach frustrated neighbors, some of whom have received bills for thousands of dollars.

Robin Cox said she got a bill for $2,400 last year.

"I knew it wasn't right and I knew I had to do something about it," she said.

Thurmond said he can't be held accountable for past problems that were caused, in part, by malfunctioning and incorrectly installed meters and lack of training.

But he said he is responsible for fixing it. Thurmond laid out more than 20 problems that caused the current crisis.

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"It was a major failure in oversight management and leadership from top to bottom," he said.

He said the issue that led to 37,000 water bills being held to check their accuracy is already being addressed.

"We are actually mailing out 8,000 water bills that have been held for the last five months," Thurmond said.

He said the solution won't happen overnight, but residents said they need to see real progress.

"You can't charge me for the water that I'm not using," Carolyn Scott said.

Channel 2's Carl Willis learned that 16 new customer service employees are being trained and the county has created positions for new technicians as well.

Cox Media Group