SHAH ALAM: The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) conducted a surprise enforcement operation today at a construction site for a logistics centre in Seksyen 15, Shah Alam.
This operation followed complaints from Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) regarding illegal water supply connections, and representatives from Air Selangor were also present during the enforcement action.
SPAN corporate communications and consumer affairs unit director Mohd Fazil Ismail said that during the raid SPAN discovered a 32mm HDPE pipe connected directly to Air Selangor's main supply line.
He added that they also found two additional connections using 25mm HDPE pipes linked to an old water meter column.
"These suspected illegal connections were providing water to the construction site, believed to be used for their daily operations," said Mohd Fazil.
"SPAN hopes this enforcement operation will raise public awareness about the issues of water theft and illegal connections, reinforcing their commitment to preventing such irresponsible activities," he added.
Deputy Energy Transition and Water Transformation Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir led the raid and expressed his gratitude to enforcement agencies for their dedication to maintaining a clean and safe water supply for all users.
He also cautioned that unauthorised water supply incidents could lead to safety issues and disruptions in water pressure and supply for legitimate consumers.
"We will hand this matter over to SPAN for further investigation, calling upon all relevant parties, including the site owner," he added.
Akmal also said that the investigations revealed that the premises lacked a valid water supply account registered with Air Selangor, and the illegal water supply had been ongoing for an estimated 157 days.
"This violation falls under Section 123(1) of the Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655), prompting SPAN to initiate further inquiries," he added.
He added that under the provisions of Section 123(1), only licensed entities may connect to public mains or service water pipes.
"Offenders could face fines of up to RM100,000 or imprisonment for up to one year, or both, as stipulated in Section 123(3) of the same act," said Akmal.
Records also showed that between 1 Jan 2024 and 26 Nov 2024, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya received a total of 10,927 complaints, with 324 verified as legitimate cases.
The estimated loss from illegal water usage as of 22 Nov 2024 stands at 919,417.26 cubic metres, equating to RM2,543,546.95.
Water theft significantly contributes to Non-Revenue Water (NRW), which for Selangor was recorded at 27.2 per cent as of Oct 2024.