Water theft, vandalism contribute to scarcity in Kampala suburbs-Water Day Supplement

Mar 23, 2012

At 10.00pm when one expects them to be in their beds or perhaps reading bed time stories, Mary 12 and her other three siblings are waiting to collect water from their neighbour Fred Muhindo.

By Agnes Kyotalengerire

At 10.00pm when one expects them to be in their beds or perhaps reading bed time stories, Mary 12 and her other three siblings are waiting to collect water from their neighbour Fred Muhindo. Muhindo was recently pronounced a water saviour in their village because he sells water as low as sh50. However, the transaction is only done in the night since he taps the water illegally.

Muhindo’s case is just a drop in the ocean. According to Vivien Newumbe the public relations officer Kampala Water, the National Water and Sewage Corporation (NWSC) is facing a challenge of water theft and increased vandalism of its water installations.
 
“The problem of un-authorised water use cannot be under-estimated and its negative impact on the operations of the corporation as a whole and Kampala water in general is obvious. February 2012 data alone revealed that 20% of water produced is unaccounted for.

“This greatly affects the operations since this water is in reality lost or stolen revenue.

In this regard, Phiona Wall, the public relations officer NWSC observes that the company incurs losses of about 30 to 35 % in uncollected revenue annually.  

The culprits
Newumbe notes that acts of illegal water use are especially rampant in Kampala and in the central business district which has a big concentration of commercial buildings, building sites, hotels and washing bays. Neighboring suburbs like Kireka, Nakawa, Rubaga, Wandegeya, Kamwokya, Nakulabye, Namuwongo and Namungona are also notorious for illegal water use.

“It has been noticed that the vice is spreading. A gradual increase in the number of domestic accounts and PSPs unearthed using water illegally has been observed despite the fact that they enjoy the lower tariff,” affirms Willy Nuwamanya commercial manager, Kampala Water. 

Effects of water theft
Majority of people especially those staying in higher altitude areas are greatly affected. Bursting a water pipe or tapping water illegally creates low pressure zones (the pressure and volume reduce). This leads to intermittent water supply affecting the enjoyment of services by most times paying customers, affirms Newumbe. Wall adds that illegal water connections are a source for unsafe water.

“When one bursts a water pipe there is the risk of contamination as in most cases water is drawn from the ground using cups or containers,” she says.
 
About the law
Nuwamanya confirms that NWSC is empowered by the Water Act to recover all dues by distress and sale of the goods of the person.

Under Statutory Instrument No. 30 of 2006 under the Water Act Cap 152, all illegal water practices shall attract a “penalty of Sh400,000 plus the estimated water consumption for 24 months.

“All illegal water users shall be fined, published and forwarded to our lawyers who have strict instructions to distress and or attach property in recovery of the same, and or institute criminal proceedings,” Nuwamanya says.

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