We've heard all our lives that you can't fight city hall. But in Atlanta, you can't even get 'em on the phone."I thought we were sinking in a hole of water," said Debbi Scarborough. "It scared me to death. I thought we had a major leak when I got the bill."
Over two months last summer, her family's monthly water bill, shot up to $1,805 In July and then $1,084 in August, leaving a balance due of more than $3,000. She said in the past her bill has averaged $200 to $250.
"I'm not paying a $3,000 bill. And for those three months, we were pretty much out of town most of the time and there's no leaks," she said, showing CNN a copy of her plumber's report.
The city installed a device on her meter to track daily usage. In the meantime, Scarborough's bill remains unpaid while she disputes the charges.
She is not alone.
Yet nobody can get city officials to answer their questions, let alone fix the problem.
Wilda Cobb, an attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency, has been shocked to get water bills totaling over $10,000. Almost $7,000 was in one month! "I am furious, I am upset, I'm confused," Cobb said. "I can't get an answer from the city because they won't admit there is a problem."
