Taxpayers Association Wants Water Dept. Audit

The Fulton County Taxpayer’s Foundation is calling for an independent audit of the Atlanta Department of Watershed Management.

“We’ve been getting calls from hundreds of rate payers and in many cases their water bills have tripled, even quadrupled,” said Barbara Payne, Executive Director of the FCTF.

Payne told Channel 2 Action News reporter Tom Regan that the Atlanta City Council last year passed a motion for a third party audit of the city’s water department, but it was never acted on.

“It’s been a long time coming for an independent audit of this department. And if it is not functioning properly we need an audit now because people are suffering,” said Payne.

Last week, Atlanta’s Chief Operating Officer Peter Aman launched an internal audit of the way the water department collects and calculates water bills. He also promised improvements would be made in customer service. Atlanta has among highest water rates in the country. Regan met with Atlanta City Council President Caesar Mitchell. He told Regan that he would prefer the internal audit to run its course before seeking an outside review.

“If the city council determines an independent audit is necessary, then of course we will do it. But there’s a number of things we will let happen. Let the process play out,” said Mitchell.

Jill Heizer is an Atlanta resident who is challenging a water bill for her condominium complex where she is president of the home owners association.

“I noticed in June our bill was $4,200. And that’s just crazy because it usually runs between $1,800 and $2,000. I definitely believe there has been an error,” said Heizer.