The larceny of cables at the Water and Sewerage Authority’s California Booster Pump, which has left several areas without a water supply since Thursday, is not being labelled as sabotage but larceny and malicious damage caused by alleged scrap iron and copper thieves.
This was the initial take by Public Utilities Minister Marvin Gonzales.
“Water supply to the area was impacted. We have no evidence that this is sabotage but this is consistent with other such acts recently by scrap iron criminals who continue to terrorise the country,” Gonzales said during an interview yesterday morning, after a video posted on social media showed the damage to the site, including where cables were cut and steel sheet covers for drains were missing.
At the time, Gonzales did not have an estimate of the cost of the damage or what it would cost to restore the booster station to full operation.
WASA, in a release, confirmed that the booster station was disabled after the electrical cables were stolen.
The authority strongly condemned “these senseless acts of larceny and vandalism against its infrastructure that are designed to provide customers with a water service.”
The extent of the damage at the booster station, located along Phoenix Park Road, Point Lisas, was being assessed, WASA noted. However, according to the authority, preliminary reports indicated stolen and damaged electrical wiring and equipment, as well as stolen metal sheets.
“The authority has adjusted operations on its distribution system, thereby preventing any disruption in service to customers in the California area,” WASA assured.
Members of the public are now being encouraged to report all acts of theft, vandalism or suspicious activity observed at the Authority’s installations to the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS) and the Authority’s Customer Call Centre toll free at 800-4420/4426.