Atlanta releases top 50 delinquent water accounts list

Here's a list you don't want to be on: the city of Atlanta's list of their top 50 delinquent water accounts.  The amounts owed are staggering.  

Residential customers who stop by Atlanta City Hall to make their payments make up a small cluster of the city's accounts, but there are mega accounts out there with huge balances.  They belong to governments, prison facilities, large housing complexes and beyond.  

"At any one time, we have about 20,000 accounts that are delinquent give or take, depending what month you are in," said Atlanta Water Department chief Mike Geisler.  

Geisler is trying to be more aggressive to collect the fees.  He's released the list of the top 50 accounts, and here are a few of the highlights:

DeKalb County - $20 million
Fulton County - $7 million
various apartment and condo complexes – $10 million+
Los Amigos Tortilla - $215,000

A city of Atlanta official went to Los Amigos about the long overdue bill.  They didn't cut off the water, but they issued a strong statement that something had to be done to get it paid.  Management realized they can't make their tortillas without the water.  

Geisler says Los Amigos agreed to a payment plan.  As for the other long-standing governmental accounts, they will require some patience because of the magnitude of the amounts that are involved.  

DeKalb County says there are errors in the city of Atlanta's billing, but they will work with the city to try and resolve the large amount.  Fulton County officials had a meeting in January with the city in an effort to try and resolve their issues.