Atlanta Pays More Than $1M for Damage Claims

The city of Atlanta has shelled out about $1.25 million since 2010 to settle damage claims related to broken water meter covers, potholes, sewer backups and other issues.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that that the property damage and personal injury claims were filed between Jan. 1 2010 and Oct. 21 of this year. That doesn’t include settlements related to the police and fire rescue departments.

The newspaper reported that some of the payouts could have been avoided because the city had been alerted to the problems.

Documents reviewed by the newspaper show the settlements originate from various city departments, including watershed, public works, and parks and recreation.

Some city officials say Atlanta needs to focus more on maintenance to avoid having to settle claims.