Report: DeKalb’s decisions heightened water billing crisis

In the scramble to correct high water bills in DeKalb County, government officials made it worse, according to an internal report.

Efforts to double-check bills for accuracy created backlogs. A decision to withhold questionable bills resulted in more than 28,000 customers missing bills since last fall. Attempts to upgrade to new water meters created confusion among meter readers.

The county’s missteps are detailed in a 26-page report titled “Water Billing Analysis Summary,” obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution under Georgia’s Open Records Act.

Exclusive to subscribers: Read deeper coverage of the report and water billing problems on MyAJC.com.

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The AJC's Mark Niesse keeps you updated on the latest happenings in DeKalb County government and politics. You'll find more on myAJC.com, including these stories:

• DeKalb properties gain value, likely resulting in higher taxes
• DeKalb Sheriff Mann prepares for trial after indecency arrest
• High pay of tax collectors in DeKalb and Fulton questioned 

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