Garissa Water and Sewerage Company (GAWASCO) facing challenges of tempering of water meters, corruption among staff colluding with customers to evade paying their bills. (Photo-GAWASCO)
Garissa Water and Sewerage Company (GAWASCO) is losing over shs 18 million due to illegal connections monthly, the company’s managing director Yussuf Mohamed has said.
Yussuf said that tempering of water meters, corruption among staff colluding with customers to evade paying their bills, unmetered water connections and vandalism in the past four years are some of the challenges the company is addressing to boost revenue collection.
At the same time, Yussuf has issued a two weeks ultimatum to customers with illegal connections, tempered meters among other irregularities to legalize them failure to which they will be prosecuted.
“I am giving these customers 14 days to declare and have their meters/connections captured in our systems. After the expiry we shall come for you. Tempering with the water meters and consuming water on a flat rate is illegal,” Yussuf said.
“The company cannot survive without revenue. I am calling on our customers to pay their water bills. All our customers have been receiving steady water supply for the past two months. They have no excuse not to pay for the water they are consuming,” he added.
Yussuf also warned members of staff who collude with customers whose water have been disconnected due to unpaid bills for reconnecting them after being bribed.
“This is an issue with are following very closely. Any member of staff found to be promoting corrupt practices will be dealt with accordingly,” he said.
The managing director was addressing the press in his office after touring the 4 zonal offices the company intends to open in the next two weeks where he was accompanied by the deputy governor Abdi Dagane and top officials from both GAWASCO and the county government.
They also inspected elevated tanks in Bulla Noor, Bulla Medina and Bulla Iqra in the outskirts of Garissa town that are meant to extend water supply to the residents in the area.
During the tour, the team came face to face with the realities of illegal water connections where two men were got red handed connecting water from the company’s line illegally.
The Deputy governor ordered for their arrest and they were hauled into one of the vehicles and are to appear in court.
The deputy governor in his address said already 90 percent of all potential customers have been connected to safe and clean drinking water.
Dagane said the remaining 10 percent will be connected by June this year adding that governor Ali Korane is committed to ensuring that it delivers on its election campaign pledges.
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