People caught stealing water will face penalties of up to Rwf5 million under revised rates introduced by the Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC). The new penalties, announced on Monday, October 26, increase fines for some categories of water theft and introduce a separate category for construction sites, which WASAC says can consume large volumes of water. ALSO READ: WASAC’s ‘non-revenue water’ falls to 30% Under the revised rates, a residential house found stealing water or using an illegal connection will attract a Rwf1 million penalty, while construction sites for single residential houses, livestock farms and agricultural irrigation sites will face a Rwf3 million penalty. Construction sites for multi-storey buildings and other real estate developments will attract a Rwf5 million penalty. The same Rwf5 million penalty applies to factories, commercial buildings, hotels, guest houses, bars, restaurants, car washes, garages, swimming pools, public and private institutions, schools and health facilities, among other establishments. The new changes will take effect on November 1. ALSO READ: MPs alarmed by losses incurred by WASAC Robert Bimenyimana, spokesperson for WASAC Group, told The New Times that the previous regulations set penalties of Rwf1 million for residential properties and Rwf3 million for commercial buildings. However, the water utility found that some construction sites used substantial amounts of water while attracting the same penalty as residential properties. “For example, someone constructing residential houses could use water worth Rwf500,000 a week during construction. If the person is caught after two months, the penalty under the previous regulations could still be the same as that for a residential house,” Bimenyimana said. How WASAC calculates water theft charges Bimenyimana said penalties are separate from the charges for water consumed illegally. Those caught stealing water must also pay for the water they used, in addition to the penalty. “We analyse how long the water has been used and the activities for which it was used. We estimate the period of illegal consumption and how much water those activities would normally require per day,” he explained, outlining how WASAC calculates the amount of stolen water. The estimates help the corporation determine the amount owed for water consumed, in addition to the applicable penalty. Bimenyimana said WASAC works with other institutions to pursue cases where people refuse to pay the amounts due. WASAC also said people who report water theft would be rewarded. Informants will receive Rwf50,000 for reporting cases involving residential houses and Rwf100,000 for cases involving construction sites, commercial premises and other listed categories. Bimenyimana said the identity of informants would be kept confidential. The corporation has also revised the water reconnection fee from Rwf5,000 to Rwf20,000 for customers whose supply has been disconnected because of late bill payment, water theft or other reasons. However, customers must first settle their outstanding water bills, pay any applicable penalties and complete the required procedures before their water supply can be restored. The revised penalties and reconnection fee replace the rates established in 2015.
