|
AVRL exposes illegal connections at Mamobi
Accra, Sept. 8, Ghanador/GNA – Aqua Vitens Rand Limited (AVRL),
on Tuesday seized seven inline un-metered electric water
pumps illegally connected on its water distribution lines at
Mamobi, a suburb of Accra.
During an operation in the area, at least 19 spots,
including bedrooms, kitchens, shops, verandas, backyards and
unused structures, were found to be hiding places for
un-metered pumps illegally connected to the AVRL water
lines.
The operation came on the back of recent reports that Mamobi
Polyclinic had for months now, not had potable water flow
through their taps, for which residents of that community
accused AVRL.
Last week, a team comprising the AVRL Loss Control Team (LCT),
the Mamobi East/West and Nima Neighbourhood Watchdog
Committee (NWC) and some security personnel undertook a
similar operation in the area and seized 20 electric pumps.
In this operation, it was discovered that while several
homes did not have potable water flowing through their taps
others were siphoning water illegally from the AVRL pipes
through the use of hidden electric pumps and selling them to
residents of the community at 20 pesewas per one big yellow
gallon.
Mr Stanley Martey, External Communications Manager of AVRL
told
journalists that the amount of water supplied to the area
was enough to have benefited the entire community, including
the polyclinic, but for the numerous illegally connected
electric suck-away pumps connected to the lines.
He said AVRL discovered from its Geographical Information
System
(GIS) monitoring station that the pressure in the pipelines
in that community had changed.
“Following tip-offs from informants and from the NWC in the
area, we discovered the exact spots of the illegally
connected pumps,” he said.
Madam Bukari Busim, on whose veranda a pump was found, wept,
saying “everybody in this area has installed a pump in their
rooms so why are you removing mine.”
Madam Busim said she was old and weak and could not do any
job
therefore she was selling the water to make a living.
At other places where similar discoveries were made,
including houses numbered BIS 35A and BIS 45A, the owners
were on the run.
In a shop, where as many as six terminals to removed pumps
were found, the shop owner, who refused to give her name,
said she was not aware that the pumps were in her shop.
At four different places, it was discovered that there used
to be metered pumps, which had been disconnected and
replaced with un-metered ones to avoid payment of bills.
The particulars on those meters were taken and the owners
had been invited to AVRL to regularize their records and pay
for the water used or face prosecution.
“Illegal connection is a crime against the State and
offenders are to be prosecuted, but those who will
co-operate with us will be spared from facing the law,” Mr.
Martey said.
Mr. Amadu Ibrahim, Chairman of the NWC, said within the past
two-and-a-half years, the committee had discovered more than
150 illegal water pumps in the area.
He warned residents of the area that the operation would
continue until all illegal connections were dealt with to
allow water to flow freely for the benefit of the entire
community.
GNA
|
