CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Residents at Tara Woods Apartments are just days away from having their water shut off due to the complex not paying their outstanding water bill.
The Clayton County Water Authority said they've been working with Red Apple Investments -- which owns the apartment complex -- for over a year trying to resolve their past due balance.
On Thursday, Red Apple Investments sent 11Alive the following statement:
Red Apple Investments stood by its tenants for over two years throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, when most of them could not pay rent. Many still are not paying rent. The bulk of the outstanding balance is due to water use by non-paying tenants during a worldwide pandemic. The Water Authority knows the complex ledger for delinquent rent is over $225,000.00 – significantly higher than the outstanding balance.
Red Apple Investments paid the Clayton County Water Authority $50,000.00 over the last 49 days for the Tara Woods Apartment water bill. We remain dedicated to this complex and our tenants, and we fully intend to reach a resolution with the Water Authority to avoid any interruption in service.
Red Apple Investments provided three separate receipts of their payments.
- On May 19, the receipt provided showed their balance with Clayton County Water Authority was $141,033.81, and they made a payment of $35,000.
- On June 2, the receipt provided showed their balance with Clayton County Water Authority was $106,567.42, and they made a payment of $10,000.
- On June 9, the receipt provided didn't show a pending balance but showed a payment made of $5,000.
As of Wednesday, July 5, Clayton County Water Authority confirmed to 11Alive that the outstanding balance was $97,973.01.
Clayton County Water Authority said Red Apple Investments had made five payments in 24 months. A spokeswoman for the water company said if Red Apple Investments would have acted in good faith, they wouldn't be in the situation they are in today.
Clayton County Water Authority said they awarded the complex $15,000 in July of 2022 from funding the county received from the CARES Act to help them get back on track with their payments to prevent tenants from having their water turned off.
A payment plan was also set up for Red Apple Investments, but Clayton County Water Authority said they defaulted.
11Alive's Cody Alcorn had a conversation with the management of Tara Woods Apartments on Thursday and sent a text asking "...if the outstanding balance will be paid by Monday (July 10)." He received a response stating, "Yes, we are working with the water company to resolve this."
A sign has been posted at the entrance of Tara Woods, notifying the complex their water will be turned off on July 10.
The water company said this is not what they wanted to happen and felt for the residents of the complex but said it's come to a point where something must be done.
Clayton County Water Authority said Tara Woods is the only complex in the county with anywhere close to this amount for an outstanding water bill.
The water company said this was not an overnight decision, and they've made several departments aware throughout the county, including code enforcement and the commissioner's office. They said they are working with several organizations in the county to try and find the tenants temporary housing if Red Apple Investments can't pay their outstanding balance by July 10.