Infrastructure & Logistics
Action taken against water loss
May 16, 2012
The Water Supplies Department has pursued a new initiative to enhance its management of water loss, used a risk-based approach to detect water theft, and will explore the use of data-mining techniques to identify unauthorised water use.Chief Secretary Stephen Lam told the Legislative Council today the administration accepts the recommendations made by the Audit Commission and the Public Accounts Committee on the management of water losses from unauthorised consumption and inaccurate metering.
He said the department has adopted a two-pronged approach by detection and prosecution, as well as promotion and education to deal with unauthorised consumption.
The recommendations are generally in line with the new initiatives the department is pursuing to enhance its management of water losses.
The department is collaborating with different sectors of the community to widen the detection of water theft. It has issued letters to all property management companies to advise them of the dire consequences of water theft.
It has also secured the co-operation of plumbing associations, institutions and trade unions, and consultants and contractors associations, in preventing water theft. Nine participating organisations signed a charter in March pledging their support.
The department has adopted the practice of informing government departments concerned on water theft conviction cases within their premises and works sites so they can take appropriate action to deter the crime.
For meter accuracy, the department started a catch-up replacement programme for 15mm meters in 2006, and so far nearly 1.5 million old meters have been replaced. It will continue to arrange for the replacement of aged meters.
