KPRC 2’s DRAINED series investigating Houston’s bad water bills earns journalism’s highest honor

HOUSTON – It’s an incredible honor for our team, and it’s all thanks to your trust in us to tell the stories that matter most to our community.

Tonight, Amy Davis and the KPRC 2 Investigates team were awarded the prestigious duPont-Columbia Award in New York City for our series DRAINED.

• DRAINED: Behind The Scenes

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. Our investigations shed light on overbilling, faulty water meters, and mismanagement of city contracts.

• Top 5 most outrageous Houston water bills the KPRC 2 ‘DRAINED’ investigation helped resolve

We are grateful for the recognition, but even more so for the Houstonians who trusted us to share their stories and be their advocate when the system failed them. This award reflects our commitment to transparency and holding people in power accountable.

The incredible team behind the DRAINED series who are receiving the duPont-Columbia Award includes:

• Amy Davis, Investigative Reporter
• Andrea Slaydon, Senior Investigative Producer
• Adrian Montes, Photojournalist
• Jon Hill, Photojournalist
• Bill Carruthers, Editor/Photojournalist
• Ninfa Saavedra, Digital Producer
• Ana Lastra, News Director

If you’ve ever dealt with a huge Houston water bill, you know how stressful it can be. That’s why Amy and Andrea started digging into water issues, because it’s an issue that directly impacts your wallet.

• KPRC 2 Investigates: Surprise spike in water bills, cases increase

Since 2022, the KPRC 2 Investigates team has helped customers get back more than $300,000 in refunds and credits. We also worked with Mayor John Whitmire to reveal the new Houston water bill plan.

Even more impactful, the team’s reporting exposed shady contracts dealing with Houston water line repairs that led to the arrest of seven people.

• UPDATE: Judge raises bond for ex-Houston water department manager to $560K

Thanks to these efforts, Houstonians are getting more accurate bills, working water meters, and greater transparency from city leaders. This is the kind of meaningful change KPRC 2 Investigates strives to bring you every day.

• ‘DRAINED’ results: Houston Water Department ahead in replacing meter sensors

Again, thank you for trusting us to tell your stories – it’s honors like these we don’t take lightly!