Posted on October 1, 2010 by westerhof| Leave a comment
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation yesterday turned off water supply to Kyambogo University after it found some university facilities consuming water illegally.
The lunch time operation which took university officials unaware, was the official launch of "Operation Wet Storm," a campaign which the water and sewerage regulatory authority has started, to stop illegal use of water supplied by the corporation.
While launching the operation at the NWSC training centre in Bugolobi, a Kampala suburb, the Managing Director, Dr William Muhairwe, warned consumers who are illegally connected to the network that after a two-week amnesty for them to regularise their status with the water authority, it will be the courts of law to determine their fate.
He said a water theft desk has been opened at Central Police Station to handle the vice. He warned the staff who have been abetting the vice of dire consequences if they do not take advantage of the amnesty period to report all the connections they have made illegally.
At Kyambogo University, the NWSC uncovered four illegal connections made to Pearl Hostel, the Main Library and lecturers quarters along the pipe serving the Uganda National Institute for Special Education.
According to Mr Yann Jondeau, who headed the operation, the illegal connections seem to have been done several years ago.
Water authorities said Kyambogo University has been paying a monthly bill of between Shs15 million and Shs25 million. According to Mr Muhairwe, the water authority loses an estimated Shs2 billion every month due to illegal connections.
When contacted for a comment, the university estates manager, Mr Ambrose Areija, who said he assumed the office four months ago, denied knowledge of the illegal connections.
"I do not know that there are illegal water connections here. If they are there, then they could have been done behind my back but I have not sanctioned any illegal connection."
Source: Stephen Otage and Tabitha Wambui, The Monitor / allAfrica.com, 1 October 2010
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