LWB engages security forces to curb water meter theft
Magwaya (L) shake hands with Mbewe after signing the MoU
The Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) has revealed that it has lost at least 2,000 water meters to theft in the past ten months, amounting to approximately K2 billion in losses.
LWB Chief Executive Officer, Sili Mbewe, disclosed this in Lilongwe during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Malawi Police Service aimed at tackling the issue.
Mbewe further stated that the statutory corporation loses over K7.5 billion annually due to illegal water connections, which significantly impacts its operations.
“If we consider illegal connections alone, we are losing about K7.5 billion annually. On top of that, infrastructure theft, such as stolen meters, is costing us heavily. For instance, in the past ten months alone, we have lost 2,000 meters,” Mbewe said.
Meanwhile, the Malawi Police Service’s Director of Human Resource Development and Management, Commissioner Violet Magwaya, expressed confidence that the partnership would help address the malpractice.
“This MoU will enable police officers attached to Lilongwe Water Board to facilitate all legal processes within the LWB premises. They will also be able to take cases to court promptly, and we are already seeing positive results,” Magwaya said.
Under the agreement, police officers will be stationed full-time within LWB premises to strengthen security and expedite legal action against offenders.
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