The Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA) has discovered 791 illegal connections to its distribution network by individuals and businesses, including a gas station owner in south Trinidad.Of the 791 illegal connections found, 293 people have regularised their status and have paid the one-year retroactive water rates, a statement from the authority said yesterday.
It said for the 498 people who have failed to make use of the grace period granted to regularise their status, the disconnection of their illegal supply has begun and criminal action has been initiated.The charges being applied range from illegal connection, abstraction, reconnection of service after lawful disconnection by the authority, illegal sale of water and tampering with a service line.
Among those charged was a gas-station owner of Debe who failed to appear before the San Fernando Third Magistrates Court on July 4 to answer charges of illegal connection and abstraction.A warrant has been issued for his arrest with bail set at $15,000, the statement from the utility's head of corporate communications, Ellen Lewis, said yesterday.
In 2012, the authority had offered two amnesty programmes to people with Illegal connections. The programme targeted the following categories of unauthorised and undocumented users:
�2 Squatters and new housing developments.
�2 People with unauthorised connections to house extensions.
�2 Disconnected customers who have reconnected themselves.
�2 People who receive water via hoses.
WASA said the practice of illegal connections directly contributes to the authority's high level of unaccounted-for water (UFW), which is potable water lost through leakage and other non-revenue sources, estimated at between 40 to 50 per cent of total daily production.WASA is appealing to anyone with knowledge of illegal water service connection to contact the authority. The reports can be made anonymously to 696-4643.
Where the illegal connections were found
North West – 35
North East – 68
South West – 447
Central – 133
South East– 88
Tobago – 14