A probe of time-card tampering at Augusta's Highland Avenue water treatment plant might cost two longtime city workers their jobs, and four others are also being punished.

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Surveillance video showed two water treatment operators clocking each other in for 20 hours in a single pay period that they were not working, Augusta Utilities Department Director Tom Wiedmeier said.

"One would clock another person in, and that person would not show up for a significant time later, or someone would leave the plant and not be clocked out until a significant time later," he said.

After reviewing an auditor's report on the activity, Wiedmeier recommended Friday that the two employees be fired.

"I felt like it was planned and systematic," he said.

Footage also showed someone turning the video camera away from the time clock, he said.

Two others, among six who were placed on leave with pay a week ago, were recommended for a week off without pay, and one received a letter of reprimand. The sixth, their immediate supervisor, is being demoted to a nonsupervisory position.

The incidents are prompting changes in the utilities department.

Though management doesn't think the abuses extended beyond the employees in question, the practice of clocking someone else in as a favor was found to be widespread. That will stop, Wiedmeier said.

"We're looking into installing biometric time clocks that will read a handprint instead of a time card," he said.

Augusta Commissioner Joe Bowles said he'd been contacted by employees about alleged abuses at the water treatment plant in July.

Wiedmeier said the city had been without a permanent utilities director for two years when he came on in December.

Serving as interim director was Assistant Director of Water Production Drew Goins, whose department oversees the Highland water treatment plant.

The commission takes theft of time from the government seriously, Bowles said.

"This is the taxpayers' company," he said.

City Administrator Fred Russell said the findings would be turned over to District Attorney Ashley Wright.