The Water Corporation in Anguilla is in the process of looking into cases where persons are stealing water supplied by the organisation, but has undertaken to offer them an amnesty during this month – November – to sign up to become legal customers instead.
The Amnesty Month provides for the reporting of all undocumented active connections which include illegal and unbilled connections. It is an opportunity for past and potential customers of the Water Corporation to become legitimate customers without penalty or prosecution.
The amnesty announcement strongly advised that all persons not legally connected to the water supply to take advantage of the amnesty period and visit the office of the Water Corporation to make the necessary arrangements.
The Corporation warned that immediately following the amnesty period, at the end of November, that firm action will be taken against all persons illegally receiving water from the distribution network. Persons found operating illegal connections will be prosecuted under the Water Corporation Act, part 5 sections 58 and 61.
The announcement of the above decision followed a statement made by the Chief Executive Officer of the Water Corporation, Rommel Hughes, at a press conference on Monday, November 12.
“As you may be aware, the Water Corporation has been rationing water for the last six months,” Mr. Hughes stated. “This situation became necessary with the closure of the Aqua Design Reverse Osmosis Plant at Crocus Bay, thus depriving the Water Corporation of 250,000 imperial gallons of water needed to supply the island’s demands.
“The water we currently provide on a rotating 24-hour rationing basis is currently derived from the TSG-operated reverse osmosis plant here at Crocus Hill. The field water which supplies this plant is provided from The Valley well fields. The 500,000 gallons of water produced by this plant, is unable to supply the total water needs of the island – thus the required need for rationing.
“Today, we would like to talk about an initiative the Water Corporation is undertaking – that is to address in a deliberate manner the pilferage of water from the public pipe distribution system. We here at the Water Corporation know, and suspect, that there are quite a number of potential water customers out there, throughout the island, who are receiving and/or taking water illegally. The Water Corporation would like this activity to stop; and for those persons engaged in this activity to become bona fide legal customers of the Corporation.
“To this end, we are embarking on an amnesty period whereby these individuals, who are currently taking water illegally, can become legal users…During this amnesty period, the Water Corporation we will also be conducting a customer survey so as to allow us to gage the sentiment of the customers we serve.”
Mr. Hughes was joined in speaking about the amnesty period by the Water Engineer, Vanroy Hodge, who reported on the water distribution system, the usages and losses of water (through pilfering as well aqs leaks to a smaller extent); and the revenue and non-revenue collections. Other related information was provided by Finance Manager,Gershwin Lake. Others at the press conference were the Chairman of the Water Corporation, Stevenson Rogers; and Board members Vanier Harrigan and Jacqueline Richardson.
