Aflao, April 11, GNA - A Ghana Water Company survey team has discovered illegal connections at Keta, Kpando, Aflao, Denu, Sogakope all in the Volta Region and the company said offenders might be prosecuted.

Mr Cornelius Ahiagbede, coordinator of the team, told the Ghana News Agency at Aflao that the illegal connections were particularly extensive in Ho and Hohoe.

Most of the culprits were those who had been disconnected for non-payment of bills as well as customers on flat basic rates who connected water to nearby houses.

Mr Ahiagbede said most of the connections were buried in concrete walls or slabs and the taps put at obscure places such as kitchens and bathrooms to avoid detection.

He said the survey team had reason to believe that some of the illegal connections had been effected and water stolen for more that 10 years.

Giving examples, Mr Ahaigbede said a household on a monthly flat rate of 110,000 cedis at Denu extended water to four other nearby houses, increasing the number of consumers from 14 to about 70 people. A landlord of a building occupied by two state institutions at Denu extended water from the house to two of his two other houses occupied by tenants.

Mr Ahiagbede said tenants of one of the houses told the team that they never paid for water used, so it was possible that the landlord incorporated the cost of water in their rent charges. He took the GNA round Aflao and Denu to see some of the houses where the illegal connections were detected and said the security agencies would be involved in further investigations and offenders might be prosecuted.

"The practice is widespread and the company is losing a lot of revenue at a time when we need much capital for expansion works in the region," Mr Ahiagbede said. 11 April 05