Murang’a Water and Sanitation Company (MUWASCO) has decried increased vandalism of water infrastructure and illegal connections which has led to numerous losses.
According to MUWASCO Managing Director Daniel Ng’ang’a, the company has been incurring losses amounting to Ksh4 million every month.
Speaking during an operation in Kiharu estate where several homeowners have connected the water illegally, Ng’ang’a said the commercial customers were the major culprits.
“People who have hostels have been devising ways to have water connected to their facility to avoid paying the water bills,” the MD said.
“These people have a large number of people who consume a lot of water and not billing it is a huge loss to the company,” he added.
Some of the culprits, he said, don’t allow the company’s staff to access the premises and even threaten to attack them.
Ng'ang'a said if not curbed, the trend could affect the operations of the company.
“Those who draw water from the system and do not pay for it there are high chances of misusing it thus wasting huge quantities," he added.
Huge water losses
The MD said the company loses about 24 per cent of the water from its system with illegal connections accounting for 15 per cent of the losses.
He said the company in collaboration with the security agents has formed a team which would conduct surveillance in the area to check on all illegal connections.
“We are enhancing efforts to arrest all the illegal connections to ensure there is an ample supply of water to the residents,” Ng’ang’a noted.
“We have launched a rapid result initiative (RRI) to run for 100 days within which we hope to arrest all the culprits,” he remarked.
He, however, noted that those who voluntarily turn themselves in to regularise their connection would get amnesty.
“So far about ten people have been arrested and charged in court for illegal water connection and we will ensure all those breaking the law are brought to book,” he added.
He also said theft of water meters and pipes was very high, affecting supply of water in some areas.
He urged the residents to be on the lookout for any suspicious activities around them and report to the authorities to help nab the culprits.
