By Moses Nyirenda
Lilongwe, December 8, Mana: Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) Director of Production and Distribution, Engineer Gustaff Chikasema has said that LWB is worried with the increase of cases of theft and vandalism of its water distribution equipment particularly miters in area 25 and its surrounding areas in Lilongwe.
Speaking on the sidelines of customer engagement meeting which was organized by LWB at Dzenza Secondary School IN Area 25 in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Chikasema said that LWB is making loses because of vandalism.
“We are experiencing an increase of theft and vandalism of water supplying infrastructures such as miters in our water supply zone in area 25 and its neighboring areas.
“With this challenge we are losing quite a lot as LWB since when the water supply equipment is vandalized or stolen more water is wasted and this increases the rate of non-revenue water, additionally the lost water facilities in order to be replaced it cost a lot of money,” Chikasema said.
He added that currently they are working together with community policing team in Area 25 through Kanengo police, in a bid to address the challenge.
During meeting LWB also donated security equipments such as baton sticks, torches, whistles and reflecting jackets to help the community policing team at Area 25 during their patrols during the night.
Kanengo Police Station Community Policing Coordinator, Assistant Superintendent Gift Mzembe said police together with LWB are currently working together to stop the malpractice of theft and vandalism of the water supplying equipment at Area 25 and its nearby areas.
“We have received reports that LWB facilities are being vandalized as well as stolen, for this reason as police we have partnered with LWB to curb this malpractice.
“Currently, on top of community policing team we have also set up a team of officers from Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to make follow-ups on the cases of theft and vandalism of the equipment so that we can arrest the perpetrators of this misconduct,” he said.