Atlanta Watershed fires 13 employees

ATLANTA — Atlanta's Department of Watershed Management fired 13 employees Friday.

The city said it stems from its investigations into theft, water quality and performance issues.

An internal investigation is ongoing.

Channel 2 Action News learned earlier this week that the investigation recommended 19 employees be fired.

The city has not yet released the names of those fired.

In March, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said he wanted answers to who was behind the ongoing theft in the city's watershed department.

One police report showed 28 commercial water meters were stolen, which were valued at more than $5,000 a piece, costing city tax payers close to $150,000. 
 
"We have a broad and wide ranging investigation. We have been very aggressive regarding the theft in watershed. This investigation included interviewing more than 68 employees," Reed said.

In April, Atlanta's city auditor released a memo describing issues the audit department would explore within the Watershed Management including then-recent thefts.
 
The auditor estimated the report would be complete by August. 
 
Atlanta City Councilwoman Felicia Moore told Channel 2's Erica Byfield in April that she was looking forward to those answers and was ready and to put her career on the line to get her own questions answered.

"There are some very serious and critical issues that need to be resolved," Moore said.

WSBTV