Over 10 people were on Thursday arrested in Eldoret town in the ongoing crackdown aimed at curbing illegal water connections.
Eldoret Water and Sanitation Company (ELDOWAs) in collaboration with the county government's Environment and Water Department conducted the operation that targeted individuals who had illegally connected themselves to get water services.
The operation which was led by the Eldowas Head of Commercial Services Timothy Bett led to the arrest of the 10 suspects in several residential areas in Eldoret town.
Speaking to the press after the operation, Bett lamented that illegal water connection was costing the company over Sh20 million loss monthly.
He said if there were no illegal water connections the company would be generating enough money to enable them to connect more households with piped water.
"We lose on average between 40 to 50 percent of all the water that we produce as a company and that translates to at least in excess of Sh20 million monthly on the minimum that we lose to illegal connections monthly," noted Bett.
He asked the public to help report individuals illegally connected to water warning that the company might be forced to increase its water tariffs if the vice continues.
"This company is servicing a lot of loans and we are under pressure to generate funds so if the public doesn't help us end these illegal water connections we will end up increasing tariffs which will hurt our people and this is something we don't want," said the Eldowas Head of Commercial Services.
"We want everybody using our water to pay for it because once its treated and piped to the house those getting the service must compensate for the infrastructure, cost if treatment and for the people who work hard to ensure you get that water," he insisted.
The sentiments were echoed by County Environment Chief Officer Simon Kemei who warned that anybody found to illegally connected to water risks a fine Sh100,000 as per the County finance bill of the 2015/2016 financial year.