Houston city council is considering a payment to Nerie Construction, whose owner was involved in a corruption scandal.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire stopped a payout last week to a Houston business owner charged with bribery, following KPRC 2’s ‘DRAINED’ Investigation into the city’s waterline contract corruption scandal. Now that business owner says he’s sorry for what happened and explains he’s still owed for the finished work.
One of the Houston business owners charged with bribery following our ‘DRAINED’ Investigation into Houston’s contract corruption scandal, is scheduled to receive more than $8 million this week. This is for work completed on an unrelated city project.
The KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ Investigation has looked into everything from high water bills to shady contract dealings. Now, we are looking into stolen water meters.
A former Houston Water Department manager sentenced to 10 years in prison for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme could be released on parole next month, just five months after her sentencing.
For more than two years, we’ve been exposing serious issues within the Houston’s Public Works water department -- problems that left many Houstonians facing inaccurate water bills overcharging them thousands of dollars. Led by KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis, our investigation shed light on overbilling, faulty water meters, and mismanagement of city contracts. These discoveries led to arrest and charges for 7 people.
If you get an unexpected high-water bill, one of the first things you should do is check your meter and make sure you don’t have a leak. But several of you have reached out to “2 Helps You” because you can’t get the lid off of your new meter box.
How much residents pay for water in Houston is a significant focus of the ongoing “Drained” investigation. The city may hire a consulting company to study its water rates.
You see it all of the time around Houston. Water bubbling out of the ground or spewing from the curb from a busted water pipe. You’ve asked us what is taking so long for the city to fix all the water leaks.
As Houston Public Works tries to fix water billing problems uncovered in our years-long ‘DRAINED’ investigation, the utility’s lack of communication continues to frustrate customers trying to understand their bills. KPRC 2 Investigative reporter Amy Davis hears from customers who say you call the water department with questions, and most of the time, the person on the phone can’t explain what you’re seeing on your bill. Just what you see is what you get.
We hear from customers frustrated over surprise water bills. Investigative reporter Amy Davis is following up on the city’s plan to address meter issues uncovered by the KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ Investigation. Davis has an update on meter replacements and customer usage.
Danielle Hurts, the only City of Houston employee ordered to pay restitution in the water line criminal corruption case, is asking for help. She’s seeking donations through a GoFundMe account. Hurts is one of 7 people indicted in the corruption scandal first uncovered in the KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ Investigation.
The first phase of Houston’s water bill improvement plan is nearing completion. However, instead of improvements, many customers are reporting higher bills than before the mayor’s promised changes.
The KPRC 2 Investigates team was recently awarded one of journalism's highest honors, a duPont-Columbia Award after years of digging, and uncovering fraud which eventually led to several arrests within the city's water department. Houston Life co-hosts Derrick Shore and Tessa Barrera sat down with KPRC 2 investigative reporter Amy Davis to learn more about the Houstonians impacted by those outrageously high water bills.
Hundreds of people have reached out, eager for more details about the Houston waterline corruption scandal first exposed by KPRC 2 Investigates. Investigator Amy Davis is delving into the investigation, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the criminal case and addressing your questions.
The final person indicted in the Houston waterline contract corruption scandal has reached a plea deal. Seven people were indicted in total after a years-long KPRC ‘DRAINED’ Investigation exposed widespread corruption in repair contracts.
Guilty pleas this week for several people indicted in the Houston waterline contract corruption scandal.
In a tearful conversation with KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis, we are hearing from one of the defendants caught up in the Houston water line repair scandal.
She’s been behind bars since May 2024 - arrested after the KPRC ‘DRAINED’ Investigation exposed widespread corruption in waterline repair contracts. What would former water department manager Patrece Lee say to KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis if she had the chance? That’s what we wanted to know. Amy Davis went to the downtown Houston jail to meet up with Lee.
The ringleader in the Houston Water Department bribery scandal is expected to accept a plea deal this week. KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis, known for uncovering the department's questionable contracts, will provide updates from the courtroom.
Joseph Nerie had his bribery and tampering with government document felony charges dismissed after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge of offering a gift to a public servant.
KPRC 2 Investigates Amy Davis and team wins prestigious duPont-Columbia Award in New York City.
We are hearing from dozens of Houston water bill customers who say they need help with sudden surprise bills. The KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ Investigation has been looking into water bill issues in Houston for 2+ years.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire committed to addressing the city’s water billing and meter reading issues, problems that were first exposed two years ago in the KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ Investigation. As the year-end deadline for his Water Bill Improvement Plan approaches, some Houston residents are experiencing new frustrations with their water bills.
You may soon notice a change in your water bill. Mayor John Whitmire announced that the city’s water department is ahead of schedule in replacing broken remote-read sensors attached to residential water meters.
KPRC 2′s investigative team has been named a finalist for the prestigious DuPont-Columbia Award for their hard-hitting series “DRAINED,” which uncovered severe issues within the Houston water department.
Over half of Houston’s residents are renters, many living in apartment complexes scattered across the city. For those who pay their water bill to their landlord rather than directly to the water department, disputing discrepancies in the bill can become a complex and frustrating process.
The KPRC 2 'DRAINED' investigation into inaccurate and outrageous water bills got big results this past April. Now four months into the Houston Mayor's plan to fix the water billing issues we wanted to know if it's working. What's changed? And who's in charge of fixing all of the problems we exposed? KPRC 2 Investigative reporter Amy Davis is looking out for you as she checks the city's progress in correcting the water problems draining so many of you.
Patrece Lee, the former Houston Public Works manager, admitted to lying to the inspector general's office about one of the emergency water repair contractors she awarded millions to being her relative.
'DRAINED' Investigation fallout. Court records now reveal Patrece used some of the money she got in kickbacks for a so-called charity she also set up. Investigator Amy Davis is taking you inside the charity to show you where some of your tax dollars went.
A new charge has been filed against a former city manager at the center of a contract corruption scandal in Houston.
We are hearing more from one of the main people charged in the city of Houston contract corruption scandal. KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis was in court today for the latest developments in the case was first brought to light because of the KPRC ‘DRAINED’ Investigation.
The KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ Investigation is getting big results! You may know last month seven people were charged in a water line repair scandal, after Amy Davis exposed shady contract dealings. This is after the entire Houston water department changed the way they bill Houston customers. All of this is in addition to the massive amount of money Amy and the team have helped get back for customers with high and confusing water bills.
A small change to prevent another multi-million-dollar corruption scandal like the one KPRC 2 Investigates exposed in the Houston water department. Our ‘DRAINED’ investigation led to seven criminal indictments. Investigative reporter Amy Davis went to the Houston city council meeting to find out about the new change to city processes.
💣 Shocking revelations have come to light about a corruption scandal involving waterline repair contracts in Houston. Investigative journalist Amy Davis with KPRC 2 Investigates has been at the forefront, uncovering the truth behind the shady deals that cost taxpayers millions of dollars.🔍 Several defendants have been charged with bribery, abuse of official capacity, and tampering with government documents. This case continues to unfold, and with ongoing investigations, more people may be implicated.
During her first appearance in Probable Cause court Friday, a judge accosted her for abusing her position as a public servant noting there are still more than half a million dollars worth of unaccounted funds.
Patrece Lee has a court date scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday morning. She’s the first to appear in court following the charges being filed.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire responds to corruption charges against seven people in a city water line repair scandal uncovered during KPRC 2's 'DRAINED' investigation.
A major break in our ‘DRAINED’ Investigation into the City of Houston water department. Seven people at the center of the waterline repair contract scandal KPRC 2 Investigates exposed are charged with bribery, abuse of official capacity and tampering with government documents.
After nearly two years of dogged reporting in our investigation of water bills “draining” Houstonians the city of Houston has made big changes. Investigative reporter Amy Davis is taking you back and following up with the very first water customer we introduced you to see how he’s doing 18 months later.
If you haven’t received your April water bill from the City of Houston, you may be pleasantly surprised. Several customers reached out to Investigative reporter Amy Davis curious about why they received credits to their bills. We are explaining why water customers are getting money back and what to look for on your own bill.
Houston water customers DRAINED from inaccurate, exorbitant bills are hopeful the mayor’s new plan to fix the problems will work. But many of you have questions about the process. Investigative reporter Amy Davis has answers to your most common water bill plan questions.
Houston’s latest water rate increase took effect April 1st. The city said the average customer will notice about a 9% increase in their monthly bill. Investigative reporter Amy Davis crunched the numbers to show you what it looks like on real accounts and she’s sharing what the city may do with the extra money.
After nearly two years of KPRC 2 Investigates DRAINED series exposing failures at the Houston Water Department, Mayor John Whitmire announces major changes. This comes a few weeks after Mayor Whitmire talked with Amy Davis about the ongoing issues and his work to find solutions for people.
After nearly two years of KPRC 2 Investigates DRAINED series exposing failures at the Houston Water Department, Mayor John Whitmire is announcing major changes.
The KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ Investigation is helping people get to the bottom of water bill issues in Houston. Investigator Amy Davis has gotten questions from renters about water bills. Often if you live in an apartment you know water bills can be unpredictable. One month it’s high and the next month it’s low. Here’s a way to determine what you actually owe for your water bill.
While Houston homeowners struggle with inaccurate, seemingly impossible water bills we are hearing from landlords and renters who say they are ‘DRAINED’. Investigative reporter Amy Davis is getting to the bottom of one apartment complex water bill that - if unresolved- could leave renters homeless.
Houston’s water rates are going up again in less than two weeks on April 1st. It’s the fourth increase since September of 2021. Investigative reporter Amy Davis explains how much you can expect your bill to increase and what the city is doing with the extra money.
Got a high water bill you don’t think you owe? A lot of you are asking Amy Davis what you should do about it. Her answer has changed from what she told many of you last year.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire is sharing new details about a plan to help frustrated water customers. He gave an exclusive interview to Investigative reporter Amy Davis. ‘DRAINED’ has been investigating the water department for nearly two years trying to help many of you deal with excessive and confusing water bills. But we wanted to know, who will be in charge?
After a year+ of KPRC's DRAINED Investigation, we are learning of big changes to help customers frustrated by water bill issues in Houston.
For the first time in nearly six years a Houston victim of hurricane Harvey is waking up in her own bed in a brand new home. It wasn’t just the floodwaters that kept Julia Benjamin from getting back home. A $39,000 City of Houston water bill almost kept her from getting the new home she qualified for from the Texas General Land office.
While Houston water customers wait for relief from inaccurate and unexplained high water bills that’s left them ‘DRAINED,’ KPRC 2 Investigates has discovered the head of Houston Public Works, memorializing the department with trinkets we’re all paying for.
Each week we in our ‘DRAINED’ Investigation are showing you water bills for hundreds, even thousands of dollars that are “draining” Houstonians. NEW TODAY: We are asking questions about the planned water bill increases and extra city money. Investigative reporter Amy Davis explains why some are questioning whether the city needs the extra revenue.
KPRC 2 Investigates is learning more about a plan to help people who have water bill issues. Houston Mayor John Whitmire is still working on the plan, but he mentioned a few details this week.
Customers who have been hit when never-ending water bills by Houston’s Public Works Department can see some relief if they are willing to pay a one-time fee of $150. KPRC 2 Investigates have been working closely with the Public Works Department, the city of Houston, and local officials to get answers on the ongoing charges.
A big update on KPRC 2′s ‘DRAINED’ Investigation into Houston water bills. Investigator Amy Davis was first to tell you about the outrageous water bills from the city of Houston and she’s been helping customers get thousands of dollars in refunds. Now that there’s a new administration Mayor John Whitmire wants to bring some much-needed relief and prevent these types of bills.
Some 7,000 property owners in the city of Houston are paying monthly water bills even though they haven’t used a single drop of water. Houston City Council voted to change the ordinance in December to give those customers are way to stop the never-ending charges. But even with that change, the water department is still sending monthly bills without letting those citizens know there is a way to make them stop.
Houston water customers are starting 2024 just as drained as they were in 2023, trying to resolve inaccurate and unexplained water bills. Investigative reporter Amy Davis is giving you peek inside a water customer’s administrative hearing to dispute his big bill.
KPRC 2 Investigates has learned the city of Houston is far behind schedule, stopping the flow of water.
It’s always interesting to see the new types of gadgets and technology that people are working on. A product featured during this year’s Consumer Technology Association’s annual trade show (or CES) is something we featured in our ‘DRAINED’ Investigation! KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis tested a water monitoring device that could help frustrated water bill customers.
When KPRC 2 Investigates first exposed the conflicts of interest to the City of Houston city leaders told us they referred the allegations to the Office of Inspector General to investigate. Now, six weeks later Investigative reporter Amy Davis is explaining what that office does and does not do.
The Houston City Council passed a high water bill relief plan Wednesday. Check out what the ordinance changes mean for all water bill customers.
We are getting results from our ‘DRAINED’ investigation into Houston water bills. This week city leaders plan to address the issue at city council, hopefully with some solutions. Plus, while we are hearing from more of you who have issues others are getting the help they need.
Questionable emergency water repair contracts under investigation as Houston employees come forward to share their stories.
We know Houston water customers are ‘DRAINED’ dealing with huge bills you don’t think you owe. Investigative reporter Amy Davis has shared dozens of cases from customers looking for help. KPRC 2 has the hard numbers to show the growing problem and which areas of Houston have the most people asking the city to adjust their bills.
Our KPRC 2 Investigation into water department issues leaving you ‘DRAINED’ is now getting the attention of the candidates competing to be Houston’s next mayor.
Amy has been waiting nearly 15 months for documents the Texas Attorney General already told the City of Houston to hand over. What’s the holdup?
A 'DRAINED' Investigation in a high water bill turns into a call to action. Community volunteers, nonprofit organizations and businesses team up to help fix up a war veteran's home.
The Houston mayor said his administration has a plan to address high water bill issues in our city. He made the announcement late Tuesday, the same day multiple Houston City Council members submitted a notice to place water bill relief on the city council agenda. This is all a result of KPRC 2′s DRAINED investigations.
A tense moment between KPRC 2 Investigates’ Amy Davis and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner over the city’s water billing and infrastructure problems has gone viral. We’ve gotten a lot of comments and questions about what Mayor Turner was referring to in his comments on Nov. 15.
“You are very rude.” That is what the Mayor of Houston told Investigator Amy Davis when she tried to get him to answer questions about our ‘DRAINED’ Investigation into water bill issues. KPRC 2 viewers are reacting to how the Mayor handled the situation.
KPRC 2 Investigates uncovers millions of dollars in city contracts related to the water department linked to questionable companies. Your tax dollars ‘DRAINED’ while so many people are struggling with increasing water rates and sky-high bills.
Houston's Mayor had some choice words for KPRC 2 Investigates Amy Davis two weeks after residents praised her, and Council Members pledged to help them finally.
When customers get bills showing two times, three times, up to ten times the amount of water they normally use they don’t trust the city or the meter. Investigative reporter Amy Davis shows one way to test the city’s reading.
You’ve demanded answers and accountability after 18 months of outrageous water billing issues in the city of Houston. Now we’re back with updates.
Take a look back via our timeline below at the comprehensive KPRC 2 Investigates yearslong Houston probe into high bills, meter issues, dirty water and lack of city response.
On Tuesday, 27 people signed up to speak about their water bill problems after KPRC 2 Investigates asked the community to address the council after 18 months of reporting on unexplained water usage, meter readings, and billing problems.
To help with those water bill issues, we've set up a meet-up in front of City Hall to speak before the City Council on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
As KPRC 2 Investigates Houston water customers ‘DRAINED’ from dubious and sometimes inaccurate water bills we’ve noticed a troubling trend. Instead of getting to the bottom of what’s causing the irregular bills Investigator Amy Davis says the city is using money earmarked for low-income families to pay itself.
Got a high water bill you don’t think you owe? You’re not alone. Since last November we have received calls and emails from more than 500 city of Houston water customers who are feeling ‘DRAINED’. Investigator Amy Davis has five things you should do in this order when you get a crazy high bill.
Each time we introduce you to someone dealing with water bill struggles we hear from more of you. Investigator Amy Davis answers some of your questions.
A homeowner called KPRC 2 Investigator Amy Davis after dealing with a water bill issue for years. A meter issue left her with a huge bill that stood in the way of getting the federal Hurricane Harvey relief money she needed.