Reduction of Illegal Water. Volume 6
Contents
1. Leave the second form at the customers premise that indicates clearly the contacts of the illegal use reduction Unit office A sample of such a form is shown in Figure 3 This report must be endorsed by the manager See Appendix 1 for a typical form used in NWSC Kampala Water Action 2 Disconnect the customer from the taping point from the main so as to avoid the customer reconnecting themselves Action 3 Compute the fines and write a letter to the customer informing them of the fine that has been levied to them In the letter invite the customer to the office for further discussion These letters should be in accordance with the Law and should be signed by the Commercial Manager and copied to the Managing Director and Billing Clerk s Action 4 If the customer cannot pay the entire fine at ago sign a payment agreement with them Action 5 Follow up and collect all fines levied Payment of all fines shall be made at the designated Cash office s Action 6 Effect reconnection of paid up customers upon issuance of reconnection orders by the Commercial Manager Reconnection orders should be copied to the Billing Clerk s 23 Figure 4 A sample form showing illegal use PROPERTY REFERENCE DATE OF REPORT ZONE ud REPORTED BY CUSTOMER NAME PROPERTY REFERENCE CUSTOMER REFERENCE OFFENCE OTHERS ORDERED BY ANY RELEVANT REMARKS NAME SIGN BLUE I U R P YELLOW2. minute to drain all pipes Is there water running in the taps Open stop cork amp distribution lines Are all taps receiving water If all taps get water then there is no meter by pass END OF INVESTIGATION Most likely not Are there any legal documents Water in the tank implies a meter by pass before meter to feed the roof tank Implies a meter by pass before meter Tap not receiving water is on the meter by pass line A control valve somewhere is closed An illegal consumer illegal connection 1 Notify customers of the offence and penalize them 2 If possible formalize connection END OF INVESTIGATION Trace pin point and expose point of tapping 21 Plate 5 Example of a meter that has been reversed 2 3 6 Procedures for identification and investigation of meter tampering Meter tampering includes physical or manual reversal of the meter readings Signs of a meter that has been tampered with include a shiny body of water meter implying that it is being held every now and then loose fittings at the meter connection implying that the fittings are opened so often an evidence of leaking at the fittings 1 pipe wrench marks on the fittings 22 2 4 Steps to be taken for identified illegal cases Action 1 Summarize findings on a form indicating the kind of illegal offense discovered at the property Complete two copies of the form and return one to office
3. 34 Appendix 2 Monthly report A concise monthly report on illegal use reduction shall be prepared by the illegal use reduction unit The report shall include Suspected illegal consumption Cases _ Confirmed cases of illegal consumption Q Total amount of fines invoiced to illegal consumers Amount of levied fines collected No of reconnections and disconnections of illegal cases effected 5 Main constraints and challenges faced L Proposed way forward Any other information that is required by management This manual is part of a Utility Management Series for Small Towns It can be used either as a training module to support the delivery of capacity building programmes in utility management and operations or as a reference manual to guide operations and maintenance staff in designing and implementing programmes to reduce the rate of Unaccounted For Water When used by urban water utilities the manual should be widely circulated to ensure that all staff and Supervisors involved working in concerned Departments Sections receive a copy This will ensure a systematic and consistent approach to the implementation of an Illegal Water Use Reduction Strategy HS 125 12E ISBN Series 978 92 1 133404 3 ISBN Volume 978 92 1 132538 6 UN HABITAT FOR A BETTER URBAN FUTURE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN SETTLEMENTS PROGRAMME Box 30030 Nairobi Kenya Tel 254 20 7624910 Fax 254 207623588 infohabitatGunha
4. Be a custodian for all field date evidence etc Manage agreements signed with defaulters 32 Appendices o Appendix 1 Figure 5 Sample of an illegal connection form for water utilities eee WATER SUPPLY AND SEWERAGE SERVICE AREA Logo OPERATED BY NAME WATER COMPANY ILLEGAL CONNECTION NOTICE OFFICE COPY Serial No Property Reference No Doo Date Do Customer Reference No Zone Disconnection Executed by ES Nature of illegal consumption In Witness of 1 Illegal Connection Zone Manager Illegal Reconnection Customer Name Meter By pass Customer Phone 2 3 4 Meter Tampered with Estimated Meter by Consumption 5 Tarrif DOMESTIC COMMERCIAL GOVMST Serial No ILLEGAL CONNECTION NOTICE This is to bring to your attention that our investigation at your premises has revealed that you have A An Illegal Water Connection B Anlllegal Water Reconnection C Meter By pass D A Meter Tampered with E Consequently we are disconnecting the above premises from our water supply network and request that you approach our offices at office location within 24 hours Please note that according to the THE WATER GENERAL RATES ORDER 2002 SECTION 4 you are liable to a fine of currency amount plus an estimate charge for water consumed in the previous 24 months pumeer supervisor od Signature Signature Signature 33
5. Plate 4 Plate 5 Tables Table 1 Sample form of illegal water connection Monthly report An illustration of a meter by pass Sketch showing a typical meter by pass Flow chart for procedures for identifying a meter by pass or illegal connection A sample receipt for illegal use Example of a sample form for illegal use Examples of meter by passes in the field An illegal connection made onto the network A connection that allows a customer to fetch water before the meter and b An example of what a reversed meter shows Typical example of a suspected illegal connection Example of a meter that has been reversed Perfomance indicators for illegal use reduction 30 31 31 31 32 33 33 34 21 24 33 8 9 19 22 28 CHAPTER 1 Investigation of house water connections Photo UN Habitat ater Utilities have an important responsibility to provide safe and reliable supplies to their customers Consumers on the other hand also have a responsibility to ensure that their use of water is legal and is governed by a formal agreement with the Utility Water audit is an excercise that determines the water supplied consumed and lost in the distribution system This infrmation is useful it helps many urban water utilities to make effective O amp M as well as investment decisions which in turn results in poor operating efficiencies and weak finances Illegal water use takes many forms including unauthorized connec
6. Publicity and Amnesty LO O 0 O Ui f W W O O O 2 2 4 Reward mechanism for informers 2 2 5 Fines 2 2 6 Payment Agreements 2 3 Identification and investigation of Illegal Use Cases 2 3 1 Procedures for identification and investigation of Meter By passes 2 3 2 Procedures for the identification and investigation of Illegal Connections 2 3 3 Procedures for the identification and investigation of Illegal Reconnection 2 3 4 Procedures for the identification and investigation of fetching before the Meter 2 3 5 Procedures for the identification and investigation of Meter reversal 2 3 6 Procedures for the identification and Investigation of Meter Tampering 2 4 Steps to be taken for illegal cases identified 2 5 Technical corrective or preventive interventions for the different illegal connections 2 5 1 Meter By pass 2 5 2 Illegal Connection 2 5 3 Reconnection 2 5 4 Fetching before the meter meter reversal and meter tampering 3 Key Result Areas and Performance Indicators 3 1 Key Result Areas 3 2 Performance Indicators 3 3 Monitoring and Evaluation of Indicators 20 22 23 25 25 25 26 26 27 28 28 28 XI XII 4 Requirements 4 1 Equipment 4 2 Human Resource 4 2 1 Skills 4 2 2 Responsibilities APPENDICES Appendix 1 Appendix 2 Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 4 Plates Plate 1 Plate 2 Plate 3a amp b
7. ZM GREEN FOR RECORD 24 2 5 Technical corrective or preventive interventions for the different illegal connections 2 5 1 Meter By pass Relocate metering point out of customers premise if safe or install meter as close as possible to the perimeter wall This lessens the length of pipe available to the customer s disposal therefore reducing illegal usage 2 5 2 Illegal Connection Continuously use informers _ Regularly revisit people who once applied for water and did not return 1 Ensure 10096 universal metering to avoid confusion in the system existence of legal unmetered accounts may at times work against the service provider as it may be difficult to easily identify the illegal cases 2 Follow up suppressed accounts People who have been disconnected for no payment and have not returned Carry out water network patrols especially in areas where mains intensification and extension have been carried out with a view of identifying possible illegal connections on such new mains 25 26 2 5 3 Reconnection Carry out effective disconnection of customers whenever you are disconnecting them Effective disconnection is from the distribution main and not at the customers metering point 2 5 4 Fetching before the meter meter reversal and meter tampering Q Use lockable chambers L Use strong metallic clamps Remove all stop corks the presence of stop corks gives customers ample tim
8. connection Note that estimation of consumption should be objective otherwise you may end up with a lot of uncollected fines revenue 2 2 6 Payment Agreements Where customers can not pay off fines at once agreements should be signed with the culprits with clear install payments on monthly basis The monthly amount should be realistic otherwise the system will be frustrated since the customer in addition has to pay for the current consumption The date for the monthly payment e g every 30th day of the month should be indicated as well in the agreement for proper monitoring of the system enhance monitoring of the install payment a computerized system should be designed to ease verification on regular basis daily or weekly 2 3 Identification and investigation of Illegal Use Cases Before carrying out any investigation information concerning the pipe network is very important Have as much information about the network as possible otherwise you might waste valuable time if you are not investigating from a known point To ease your cut down on the number of accounts to visit ensure that you have helpful lists such aS ii lil iv V List of Target suspicious customers generated from data base querying Bad History customers customers who once had an illegal problem with the water service provider Theft is a habit so keep record of all defaulters and keep revisiting them at least after every 4 mo
9. Reduction of Illegal Water Reduction of Illegal Water Copyright United Nations Human Settlements Programme 2012 All photographs UN Habitat HS 125 12E ISBN Series 978 92 1 133404 3 ISBN Volume 978 92 1 132538 6 All rights reserved United Nations Human Settlements Programme UN Habitat P O Box 30030 00100 Nairobi GPO Kenya Tel 254 20 7623120 Central Kenya Website http www unhabitat org Email habitat publications org Disclaimer The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country territory city or area or of its authorities or concerning delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries or regarding its economic system or degree of development The analysis conclusions and recommendations of this publication do not necessarily reflect the view of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme the Governing Council of the United Human Settlements Programme or its Member States Acknowledgements Principal Authors UN Habitat Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Initiative team and National Water and Sewerage Corporation team Contributors Robert Goodwin Rose Kaggwa and Anne Malebo Editor Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Initiative team Design and Layout Anne Musotsi Utility Management Series for Small Towns Reductio
10. Reduction Policy The top management together with the technical team should develop this policies stand of the water supply system concerning illegal usage of water For instance it is illegal for any consumer to L By pass a meter Q Reconnect themselves if disconnected due to non payment 1 Reverse a water meter 1 Tamper with any meter If a customer feels that a meter is not functioning well they should simply report the matter to the service provider The service provider shall not be liable for any meter tampered with by anybody other than the authorized staff Connect themselves to the network illegal connection The penalties should as well be defined for instance if caught with any offence you will be charged 200Dollars as a fine in addition customers will pay 100 Dollars if the offence is an illegal connection 70 Dollars if it s a reconnection offence 150 Dollars if the customer tampered with or reversed the meter An equivalent of 12 month average consumption if the offence is a meter by pass and An equivalent of 24 month of estimated average consumption if the offence is illegal connection The policy has to be very clear and practical Also not that the fines should be a little high In Uganda the fine is about 200 dollars because a fine is supposed to be a deterrent to prevent people from doing wrong otherwise if it is low people will not be scared as they can easily pay if caught 2 2 3 Publicit
11. as been disconnected for non payment but they go ahead and reconnect themselves to the network 2 1 4 Fetching water at a point before the meter The customer consumes water that is not metered by closing the stop cork removing the meter then they connect a horse pipe to the network and fetch water After they have fetched water they return the meter Plate 3 2 1 5 Meter reversal The customer installs the meter in reverse order so that it counts backwards to a desired reading When satisfied they turn the meter to the correct position Meter reversal may entail reversing the meter readings manually Plate 3a amp b Pictures of meter reversal E E Direction of Water Flow A connection that allows b An example of what a reversed meter shows customer to fetch water before the meter 2 1 6 Meter Tampering The customer intentionally corrupts the meter so as to affect its efficiency This may include reducing or distorting mechanical gears boiling meter so as to melt internal components breaking meter reading glass introducing impurities etc 2 2 Practical reduction of Illegal Use of Water 2 2 1 Institutionalizing an Illegal Use Reduction Unit The first step in addressing illegal usage of water is institutionalizing an illegal use reduction frame work The procedures that can be adopted to institutionalize the framework include 2 2 2 Illegal Use Reduction Policy Develop an Illegal Use
12. at the appropriate time 19 20 2 3 5 Procedures for the identification and investigation of Meter reversal Ensure that arrows on the meter point in the direction of flow otherwise it implies that the meter has been reversed The position of the stop cork also suggests the direction of flow Conventionally the stop cork is at the upstream part of the flow direction Before the meter However be careful to note if the stop cork is indeed before the meter because there are instances where stop corks are placed after the meter to prevent meter tampering Another indicator of a meter reversal is a lower reading than previous reading Figure 3 shows a typical flow chart of the steps to take when identifying an illegal connection or meter by pass Another way of identifying these cases is through sampling meter readings meter reading audits Pick on a set of customers and monitor their customer meter readings several times through the month Once a reduction is noticed this should be reported as an illegal case of meter reversal Figure 3 Flow chart for procedures for identifying a meter by pass or illegal connection Carry out field visit collect all primary data Is the consumer a customer 1 Close Stop cork 2 Close distribution lines if customer has roof tank 3 Press ball valve in roof tank down Is there water in the roof tank No No by pass to roof tank Open all water taps and allow to run for 1
13. ay them cash as this category of people need money for survival on a daily basis Use Local leaders you may have an arrangement with the local leader to record for you new connections in their respective areas per month say an incentive of 300 shillings per new connection reported then reconcile the new connections reported with those that were connected as per your records illegal cases will then be identified In cases where universal metering has not been achieved it is important to ask customers who are on supply without meter and are suspected to be illegal connections for at least a water bill If nothing is available then confirm that it is an illegal connection Plate 4 Typical example of a suspected illegal connection 2 3 3 Procedures for the identification and investigation of Illegal Reconnection Make a list of customers who are supposed to be off supply Reconnections are common in the evening and during the week ends when the customers do not expect the service provider to visit them at all So revisit these customers at the appropriate time 2 3 4 Procedures for the identification and investigation of fetching before the Meter Make a list of customers whose consumption is inconsistent and those whose consumption is too low Fetching before the meter is common in the evening and during the week ends when the customers do not expect the service provider to visit them at all So revisit these customers
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15. d revenue base and few opportunities to benefit from economies of scale they often suffer from severe skill shortages and a long legacy of underinvestment in infrastructure and capacity enhancement To overcome these challenges the small utilities need to maximize their operating efficiencies and ensure optimum utilization of their assets Since the year 2006 UN Habitat has been working with national and regional partners in East Africa to implement the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation Initiative LVWATSAN which seeks to address the water and sanitation needs of small secondary towns in the Lake Victoria Basin capacity development programme in utility management and operations has become an integral component of this Initiative which was started in 10 towns and is now being expanded to another 15 towns in the 5 East African Countries which share the Lake Victoria Basin The implementation of LVWATSAN has generated a solid body of knowledge and experience in enhancing the capacity of small utilities to improve their financial viability and operating efficiencies This experience has been applied to produce a series of Manuals which can be used as training materials to improve the operating performance of small utilities The Block Mapping Procedures Manual is part of a Compendium of Training Manuals for Small Water Utilities produced by UN Habitat in six 6 volumes as follows Volume 1 Finance Policies and Proc
16. e to stop the water remove and tamper with meter CHAPTER3 Key Result Areas and Performance Indicators sal le Leak detection demonstration Photo UN Habitat 28 3 1 Key Result Areas Q Devise and establish mechanism for identification of illegal consumers Maximise collection of fines levied on identified illegal consumers L Reduce illegal consumption 3 2 Performance Indicators To effectively carry out illegal use reduction the following performance indicators need to be determined Table 1 Performance Indicators for Illegal Use Reduction No Performance Indicators Unit 1 Investigation to unearth illegal connections carried out No 2 Illegal connections identified No 3 Total amount of fines invoiced to illegal consumers Shs 4 Amount of levied fines collected Shs 5 Percentage amount of levied fines collected 6 No of disconnections of illegal cases effected No 7 No of reconnections of illegal cases effected No 3 3 Monitoring and Evaluation of Indicators The monitoring and evaluation M amp E during the implementation of the illegal use reduction tasks shall be through the M amp E sub committees in charge of specific zones The sub committees will regularly move at an interval to be determined by management around the network to verify activities of the illegal use reduction unit The illegal use reduction unit shall be required to keep records of quantifiable perfor
17. ed for the illegal Use reduction team leader include Ability to use the assorted equipment and train others L Ability to analyze data for fishy consumption patterns Q Integrity is key as the challenge of bribes is expected 1 Understanding of the pipe network is very important as the water facilities are buried L Assertiveness boldness are very important note that the team will be dealing with wrong people thieves 31 4 2 2 Responsibilities Set up of basic framework these first 3 responsibilities will be short leaved but are very important for a successful launch of the program In liaison with top Management develop a policy that will address the offences this should be passed by the Government as well Spear head educating the public about the law offences and corresponding penalties or fines 1 Spear Head the issue of amnesty to the defaulters culprits Post After Amnesty Monitor and advice management on the usage abuse of fire hydrants Conduct coordinate meter reading audits to check for meter reversal cases conspiracy and quality of meter readings L Generate list of suspicious consumers customers customers who once applied for a new connection and are not yet connected customers who are supposed to be off supply customers with suspicious consumption patterns L Prepare a schedule for field work and assign work to the different field staff Q
18. edures Manual Volume 2 Customer Services User Manual Volume 3 Block Mapping Procedures Manual Volume 4 Water Audit Manual Volume 5 Leakage Control Manual Volume 6 Reduction of Illegal Water Use Manual The Manuals were produced through a collaborative effort between UN Habitat and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation of Uganda within the framework of a fast track capacity building programme in utility management and operations which targeted seven small utilities in the towns around Lake Victoria Nt d A P Robert Goodwin Unit Leader Water and Sanitation Urban Basic Services Branch UN Habitat Nairobi Kenya Vil vii ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS CA HDPE pipes hNi Km LRP L L D Litres M Mm MNE NWSC NRW Psi UFW JURU ES DWD ET TOR PIPs QMS No Shs M amp E Cooperation Agreement High Density Polyethlyne pipes Large Networks Kilometer Leak Detection Programme Leakage Rates Length Diameter ratio Litres Meter Mili meters Minimum Night Flow National Water and Sewerage Corporation Non Revenue Water Pounds per Square Inch Pressure Unaccounted For Water Illegal Use Reduction Unit External Services Directorate of Water Development Expert Team Terms of Reference Perfomance Improvement Programme Quality Management Systems Number Shillings Monitoring and Evaluation GLOSSARY Water losses The difference between system input and authorized consumption water
19. emove stop cork for such a customer as well Stop corks give the customers ample time to close off water remove and reverse meters and or fetch before the meter Ensure that the publicity is sound so that information reaches the entire service area for positive results 2 2 4 Reward mechanism for informers Once the amnesty period expires it is important to start the hunt Much as the sole responsibility of tracing for illegal cases falls on the illegal use reduction team they can never comb the entire area Informers are handy when it comes to reporting these cases A clear reward mechanism should be put in place A provision of funds should be put in place preferably in form of replenish able imp rest to facilitate quick payment of rewards Note that the informers are simple people who need cash so be sure to have cash for them at all times The given sum arrived at from experience should be available 2 2 5 Fines The penalties should as well be defined for instance if caught with any offence you will be charged 200 US United States Dollars as a fine in addition customers will pay 100 US if the offence is an illegal connection Q 70 US if its a reconnection offence 150 US if the customer tampered with or reversed the meter An equivalent of 12 month average consumption if the offence is a meter by pass and an equivalent of 24 month of estimated average consumption if the offence is illegal
20. ing for climate change adaptation The Lake Victoria Region Water and Sanitation Initiative is one of the regional programmes in Africa that has demonstrated the effectiveness of integrating capacity building for urban water utilities with modest investments to improve infrastructure The first phase of the Initiative has now been completed with impressive improvements in extending access to water and sanitation while enhancing the managerial capacity and operational efficiency of the utilities in the ten pilot towns in Kenya Uganda and Tanzania The utilities which have benefited from the capacity building programme have experienced significant improvements in performance in key areas such as revenue enhancement an expanded customer base and reductions in non revenue water The six training manuals which are included in this Compendium of raining Materials are based on the practical experience of delivering the capacity building programme for urban water utilities in the Lake Victoria Towns They encompass the key areas of utility management and operations and it is hoped that they will contribute to the knowledge base of training approaches and best practices in the water utility sector in small urban centers Joan Clos Under Secretary General United Nations Executive Director UN Habitat VI PREFACE Small water utilities face unique challenges in delivering water and sanitation services to their customers With a limite
21. k taps in the house No water is expected presence of water implies that there is a by pass Note however that when these taps are opened there may be back flow from the pipe between the tank and the tap for about 1 minute Now reverse the above process Open all the lines to ensure full water supply on doing this all taps should be receiving water If there is any tap that does not receive water it is very likely that it is an illegal line it implies that a gate valve has been closed v Now check if the direct lines commonly the garden tap and or the kitchen line still receive water vi At this stage we do not expect any water at any tap at all vii Reverse the process and check the taps which don t have water Note that all taps should be having water after opening the taps If there is a tap without water it implies that a control valve has been closed Figure 2 Sketch showing a typical meter by pass Ball Valve Customer s Water Tank Distribution control valve Distribution line Water Meter Stopcock 1 4 7 Meter by pass To Garden Yard Tap 17 18 2 3 2 Procedures for the identification and investigation of Illegal Connections Revisit all customers who once applied for water and did not complete the process It may be because they got a cheaper option of getting connected to the water network illegal connection Use informers these are handy You must be able to p
22. ll water sector perspective of designing and implementing Quality Management Systems QMS 1 2 Scope and Objectives The scope of this illegal use reduction manual shall cover all the different categories of illegal connections normally found in consumer premises and the procedures guidelines for their investigations and identification The objectives of the Illegal Use Reduction Unit include the following i To reduce illegal consumption through proactive effective and comprehensive identification amp investigation of illegal water consumers in the water supply area s ii To devise and establish mechanisms that will compel the identified illegal consumers to desist from reverting to the bad practices of illegal consumption iii maximize collection of fines that has been levied on the identified illegal consumers 1 3 Manual outline Chapter one entails the background rational scope and objectives of the manual It also explains the circulation control of the manual and a manual amendment procedure Chapter two discusses the operating procedures which is the main purpose of this manual Chapter three entails the key result areas and the performance indicators that help the management to set realistic targets for the implementing team and aid decision making as well Chapter four details the logistics required for implementation this also includes the human resource equipment and or skills and abilitie
23. losses can be considered as a total volume for the whole system or for partial systems such as transmission or distribution schemes or individual zones Water Losses consist of physical losses and commercial Commercial losses L Includes all types of inaccuracies associated with customer metering as well as data handling errors meter reading and billing plus unauthorized consumption theft or illegal use Commercial losses are at times called Apparent Losses or Non Technical Losses Unauthorized consumption Any unauthorized use of water may include illegal water withdrawal from hydrants for example for construction purposes illegal connections by passes to consumption meters or meter tampering Unauthorized consumption of water is what is popularly known as illegal usage of water Foreword Preface Figures and Plates Abbreviations amp Acronyms Gossary 1 Introduction 1 0 Background 1 1 Rationale 1 2 Scope and Objectives 1 3 Manual outline 2 Operating procedures 2 0 Benefits of Institutionalizing an Ilegal Use reduction Unit 2 1 Categories of Illegal Usage Cases 2 1 1 Meter By Pass 2 1 2 Illegal Connection 2 1 3 Illegal Reconnection 2 1 4 Fetching water at a point before the meter 2 1 5 Meter reversal 2 1 6 Meter Tampering 2 2 Practical reduction of Illegal Use of Water 2 2 1 Institutionalizing an Illegal Use Reduction Unit 2 2 2 legal Use Reduction Policy 2 2 3
24. mance indicators to facilitate verification by the sub committees The sub committees will then meet with the respective zonal staff of the illegal use reduction unit on a weekly basis to discuss constraining issues and strive to find solutions Ihe entire M amp E team will then meet bi weekly to have a holistic overview of the implementation status At each stage of the meeting the agreed way forward on the constraints and achievements will be communicated to the respective operating ZONES The evaluation of the performance of the illegal use reduction unit shall be carried out at the end of each month and each sub committee shall highlight constraints experienced and proposed way forward which are then discussed in a meeting chaired by the illegal use reduction In charge 29 4 Requirements 4 1 Equipment These facilities are used to pin point location of pipe after confirmation of a fraud existence i An up to date block map ii Tools e g pick axes spades and hoes iii A set of assorted equipment are used for locating pipes these include metallic pipe locator plastic pipe locator hammer plus noise leak detector and a Geo radder Where the assorted equipment is not available items 1 and 2 can be used The location of fraud pipe will be based on try and error This makes the map and knowledge on the network very handy 4 2 Human Resource 4 2 1 Skills The general skills requir
25. n of Illegal Water UN HABITAT FOREWORD Municipal authorities and urban service providers are being increasingly challenged to deliver sustainable services in a rapidly urbanizing world with complex problems resulting from the interplay of climate change resource constraints and the adverse effects of a sluggish world economy The need to improve the coverage and efficiency of urban basic services such as water supply sanitation energy drainage and transportation has never been greater It is now well recognized that the essential pre condition for improvements in the delivery of urban services is to establish effective and well run institutions within the framework of a policy environment that promotes investment a commercial approach to service delivery managerial autonomy and accountability to key stakeholders including customers and the Government With its mandate to promote sustainable urbanization UN Habitat has been in the forefront of international efforts to build the capacity of urban water utilities to face the challenges of expanding access to water and sanitation while improving the efficiency of service delivery Through its regional and national programmes and the Global Water Operators Partnership Alliance UN Habitat provides capacity building for urban water utilities with a focus on business planning water demand management improving billing and revenue efficiency energy audits and plann
26. nth Suppressed accounts List of customers who were cut off supply but have not returned to pay for the service and get reconnected everyone needs water so do not assume that these people are off supply revisit and investigate them List of people who once applied for water but did not complete the new connection process for one reason or another By the time one applies for water they really need it Their not coming back may imply that the applicant got a cheaper option of getting water So ensure that you acquire sufficient contact details for whoever expresses interest in water List of customers who are supposed to be off supply Ensure 10096 investigation of reported suspected illegal consumption cases All suspect and reported cases must be investigated 15 16 2 3 1 Procedures for identification and investigation of Meter By passes In order to identify and investigate a meter by pass the following steps should be taken il iil IV Close the stop cock feel the pipe just before the meter if there is a vibration in the pipe then there is reason to suspect a meter by pass as water flow induces a vibration in the pipe Check the water tank press the ball valve down to see if there is water inflow No water is expected to reach the roof tank once the stop cork is closed Presence of water implies that there is a meter by pass Close off the distribution lines from the tank and chec
27. s required for the key team CHAPTER 2 Water pipe mantenance Photo UN Habitat 2 0 Benefits of Institutionalizing an Illegal Use Reduction Unit i Reduction of illegal consumption reduces Non Revenue Water ii Reduced Operational costs less chemicals and electricity optimized production iii More water availed for legal consumption iv Increased revenue through the fines levied on the identified illegal consumers v Better Planning reliable demand projections vi Optimized operation of the distribution system 2 1 Categories of Illegal Usage Cases 2 1 1 Meter by pass i consumer is a customer with a meter ii The customer has an alternative pipe taping water before the meter his water may simply by pass the meter to roof tank direct to the house to the garden or a combination of two or the three cases see Figure 1 Figure 1 An illustration of a meter by pass Ball Valve Customer s Water Tank Distribution control valve Distribution line Water Meter Stopcock 2 3 Meter by pass To Garden Yard Tap Plate 1 Pictures of a meter by passing in the field 2 1 2 Illegal Connection 1 The consumer is not even a customer to the water supply system L They have simply connected themselves to the network Plate 2 Plate 2 An illegal connection made onto the network 2 1 3 Illegal Reconnection The customer h
28. tions to the water network and meter tampering Illegal water use reduction cannot be handled in an ad hoc way but should form an important component of a Utility s programme to reduce UFW and maximize revenues and operating efficiencies The Lake Victoria Region Water and Sanitation Initiative has provided many useful lessons on the procedures and systems to the followed in addressing the problem of Illegal Water Use One of the key lessons learnt is that illegal water use is a serious problem for many small urban utilities and unless it is brought under control it will be difficult for these utilities to achieve financial viability Another important lesson is that illegal water use should be addressed in a systematic way and should be well integrated into an overall programme of UFW monitoring and control Small urban utilities with all the challenges that they face cannot afford to lose water through illegal connections meter tampering and other forms of illegal water use They are encouraged to systematically confront this problem by adopting the procedures outlined in this Manual 1 1 Rationale The rationale for preparation of the manual is to have documented and streamlined procedures for implementation of activities The documented procedures are to ensure that staff carries out their roles and responsibilities with minimum supervision and new staff quickly copes up with the requirements for their jobs This conforms to the overa
29. y and Amnesty Publicity After developing a policy it is important to notify the public about your position as a water service provider on the issue of illegal use of water This can be done through all the modes of communication i e 12 Radio announcements public gatherings news papers and distribution of fliers Amnesty After the community has understood your position on illegal usage the next stage is to start cleaning up The number of people of illegal cases may be so many that dealing with each of them legally may be uneconomical Amnesty is therefore paramount at this stage An amnesty period of three month is realistic during which customers who declare that they have illegal connections will not be penalized For instance give the following conditions the customers can be advised to i Illegal Connection Apply for a new connection avail all necessary documents and then we shall formalize the connection ii Illegal reconnection you will be excused from the fines you will simply clear your water bill to zero iii Meter By Pass We shall simply remove the meter by pass But relocate the meter to out of the premise if safe or close to the perimeter wall to minimize the temptation iv Meter tampering you will pay a small fee for replacement of the meter Quote the cost of the meter v Meter reversal and fetching before the meter We shall correct the meter position But r
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