Calif. Audit Questions Water Agency

[newyawker99]

SAN DIEGO - The state auditor questioned numerous expenses and practices at the nation's biggest urban water agency in a new report, including a $9,200 luncheon and a $75,000 donation to a foundation that was never spent.

In a statement, the Metropolitan Water District said it agreed with many of the state auditor's recommendations, but noted that the report, released Thursday, found no laws were broken, no contracts were awarded improperly and no funds were misappropriated.

"Overall, the state audit provides Metropolitan a clean bill of health," the Los Angeles-based agency said.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees local union, which represents 1,700 of Metropolitan's 2,000 employees and had a hand in generating the audit, disagreed.

"If that was a clean bill of health, then what do they call cancer?" said Robert Reeves, a Metropolitan analyst who is president of the local union.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14751-2004Jun4.html