Illegal connections cost Maynilad P16 M

In only a span of four months, the Maynilad Water Services Inc. has uncovered thousands of illegal connections in at least three areas in the metropolis, costing the company P16.3 million in under-collection.

Through its Anti-Illegal Task Force (AITF), Maynilad investigated and confirmed over 1,800 cases of illegal water activities by residential, commercial, and industrial consumers in the West Zone concession, specifically in Pasay, Makati, and Manila, from January to April 2007.

This also led Maynilad to compel apprehended water pilferers to settle P16.3 million in under-collection charges and penalties.

"Many of our customers call or drop by the office to report illegal connections," said AITF South Operations head Joel del Rosario.

Maynilad identified a popular shopping center and pet store in Pasay as among the establishments caught having illegal water connections.

Del Rosario said that after being tipped by a Maynilad contractor doing excavation work in the area last April 11, AITF and Maynilad’s Pasay-Makati Business Center launched a joint operation to inspect and trace the origin of the two-inch bypass connection tapped into a Maynilad pipeline.

"Some personnel of the shopping center were there when we confirmed and showed them that the bypass leads to the establishment," Del Rosario said.

Maynilad expects to recover an assessed under-collection amounting to P3.6 million from the shopping center.

The water firm also noted an illegal withdrawal of water from a fire hydrant on M. Sioson street in Dampalit, Malabon.

Upon receiving the report on May 2, Del Rosario said the AITF and Maynilad’s Malabon-Navotas Business Center conducted an investigation and caught a fire-truck of the Malabon Fire Volunteers extracting water from the identified fire hydrant.

The AITF later found out that the stolen water is delivered to the Villa Vicencio Resort, owned by Lucio Vicencio Jr., allegedly a relative of Malabon fire chief Ramon Regala Vicencio.

In a Notice of Assessment issued to the Vicencios, Maynilad asked for a settlement of a total of P724, 565.06 for the water that was "illegally consumed." 

"Water from fire hydrants is supposed to be used only for firefighting purposes; it is not for profit," Maynilad assistant vice President and director for revenue enhancement Chris Lichauco said. "We will apply the full extent of the law should these persons not settle."

AITF works in close coordination with Maynilad’s legal department in enforcing Republic Act 8041 or the National Water Crisis Act of 1995 and its implementing rules and regulations, particularly the provisions on the pilferage of water.

These provisions were ratified, according to Maynilad, because illegal water connections are one of the main causes of degraded water quality, epidemics, and reduced water pressure in Metro Manila.

In apprehending water pilferers, Maynilad explained that AITF regularly conducts "proactive operations" consisting of random investigations, especially of commercial and industrial accounts.

AITF and the 15 Business Centers throughout the West Zone also do daily monitoring and analysis to determine inconsistencies in the consumption of large consumers, Maynilad added.

Maynilad also said the AITF also carries out "reactive investigations" on suspected illegals tipped or endorsed by internal and external sources.

Maynilad has deployed additional AITF units on field especially in the commercial areas of Pasay, Makati and Manila – the areas it identified as having the bulk of bypass connections, double tapping and meter tampering cases that have been exposed in the past months.