mikemcguff.com: Amy Davis and KPRC 2 win duPont-Columbia Award 2025

Amy Davis and KPRC 2 Investigates Houston took home the 2025 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for series "DRAINED."

The prestigious award honors outstanding public service in audio and video reporting.

Drained
KPRC-TV, Houston & Amy Davis
Houston's crumbling municipal water infrastructure led a dogged reporting team on a monthslong gumshoe journey through neighborhoods, government offices, worksites, and official records to expose, and then take down a scheme of high-level corruption.

Other winners include HBO, Netflix, NPR and MTV Documentary Films.

SEE THE OTHER FINALISTS

UPDATE WITH OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Houston, TX – January 23, 2025 – KPRC 2 is proud to announce that its investigative series, "DRAINED," has been awarded the esteemed duPont-Columbia Award, recognizing excellence in journalism.

The series, led by investigative reporter Amy Davis and the KPRC 2 Investigates team, delved into the pervasive issues of excessive water bills, faulty water meters, and mismanagement of city contracts.

"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," said Davis, who received the award in New York City last night.

The "DRAINED" series brought to light the challenges faced by numerous Houstonians who received inaccurate water bills, often amounting to thousands of dollars. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, the team not only highlighted individual hardships but also spurred significant changes within the city's water billing system. Since 2022, the KPRC 2 Investigates team has helped customers get more than $300,000 in refunds and credits. And the reporting exposed shady contracts dealing with Houston water line repairs that led to the arrest of seven people.

“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,” said KPRC 2 News Director Ana Lastra.

The duPont-Columbia Award is one of journalism's most prestigious honors, celebrating outstanding broadcast and digital reporting. This recognition underscores KPRC 2 Investigates' commitment to exposing problems and finding solutions that make Houston a better place to live.

For more information about the "DRAINED" series and to view the investigative reports, please visit Click2Houston.com.