Comptroller Points To DEP's 'Weaknesses'

The city's Department of Environmental Protection failed to collect more than $13.4 million on water and sewer bills from dozens of New York City hospitals, an audit by the city comptroller found.

The audit, released yesterday, found "significant internal control weaknesses" in the agency's collection practices, including inconsistent managing of accounts. As of June 2007, the audit found eight NYU Medical Center accounts with charges totaling $963,421 and four Brookdale Hospital Medical Center accounts with charges totaling $461,201.

"Given that a number of hospitals are now in bankruptcy or are recommended for closure, the DEP may never be able to recover all of the money it is owed," the comptroller, William Thompson Jr., said in a statement. The document also outlined nine recommendations, including the creation of a comprehensive list of all private hospital accounts by surveying hospital properties.