48 arrested over illegal water connections in City – Ministry

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The Government has said it continues to record milestones in the ongoing crackdown on illegal water connections in Nairobi.

The 100-day rapid results initiative (RRI) which started last month is also set to be undertaken across the country.

It is aimed at reducing non-revenue water which is currently estimated to be at Sh10 billion annually.

In the latest statistics, at least 48 individuals suspected to be behind the illegal connections in the City have so far been arrested in the operation dubbed ‘Linda maji, Lipa maji’.

The suspects, according to Water and Sanitation Principal Secretary Paul Rono, have since been charged in various courts and fined.

The offences include vandalism and illegal water connections.

The operation which entered its fifth day Friday is aimed at disconnecting all illegally connected water pipes in identified informal settlements within the capital.

In a sting operation led by the PS and Nairobi water company officials in various parts of Kisumu Ndogo and Raila Village in Lang’ata, 500 illegal connections were disconnected with culprits being nabbed.

In total, the Ministry has managed to disconnect 800 illegal water points since the exercise started on February 16.

“People who have been paying for the commodity but not enjoying it can now smile… Illegal connections disrupt the free flow of water and through this operation, we aim to restore it,” said Rono.

A half of the 560,000 cubic metres of water supplied to Nairobi, he noted, remains unaccounted for as a result.

The PS stated that the ministry is going to work closely with the counties to ensure the water infrastructure is protected.

“We are going to walk this journey together in order to reduce the non-revenue water from the current 45 per cent to less than 10 per cent.   

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