Investigation Finds More Problems At Raleigh's Wastewater Plant

The city attorney confirmed for WRAL that an internal investigation found the grounds were used as a landfill. The investigation also discovered that pesticide barrels were stored improperly and that rat poison was buried at the plant.

Councilmembers agreed to several recommendations, including groundwater testing, health checks for employees and an outside evaluation of the plant.

"I think that is as much to give the public confidence in what we're doing as it is to find better ways to do it," city attorney Tom McCormick said.

"I feel as if this were the CEOs of Enron in charge of investigating what happened at Enron," Upper Neuse riverkeeper Dean Naujoks said.

The city has already been fined $74,000 for overspraying sludge on fields and dumping it in the Neuse River. City leaders said they are working on ways to prevent violations in the future.