What Happens in the Water Department, Stays in the Water Department

By Amy Hart in News on Oct 6, 2005 3:30PM

Is there a more fun city agency to work in than the Chicago Department of Water Management?

First we discover that if you pay a little bribe, you can make a lot of dough in overtime. City worker Richard Pacheco (as opposed to the other Richard Pacheco) said that when he gave cash to his supervisors, he in turn received overtime resulting in an additional $14,000 in pay.

The extra cash must have come in handy, as today we find out that Tom Briatta, a foreman of water pipe construction, has been accused of either participating in gambling on city work sites, overseeing gambling by city employees, or both.

Tom Briatta is the brother of John Briatta, the water department’s chief equipment dispatcher and brother-in-law to the mayor’s brother, and Cook County Commissioner, John Daley.

Got that? You might want to start a flow chart.