Public Service Alert: Illegal Sales of Water Under CWA’s Investigation

The Central Water Authority (CWA) has uncovered a network of employees who have been illegally selling its water to private individuals looking to fill their pools. The price for a 10,000-litre tanker of potable water was reportedly between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000. As a result, an investigation has been launched, with disciplinary actions being considered.

The newly established CWA Tanks Unit claimed that all of its tanker trucks are fitted with GPS devices to monitor their movements across the island.

However, it seems that the distribution of water has been at the discretion of certain inspectors and senior officials within the department.

Recently, management had grown suspicious of a scheme where employees from various ranks were selling water for personal profit, with money directly pocketed instead of being returned to the CWA.

This cash was then shared among them.

Thanks to the implementation of surveillance cameras by the CWA Tanks Unit, two tanker trucks were caught last week red-handed, supplying groundwater to private customers for pool refills.

As the Ministry of Public Services urgently calls for water conservation— with our reservoirs barely a third full and little rainfall in recent weeks— the investigation comes at a critical time.

On Monday, 3 February, Minister Patrick Assirvaden convened a meeting with senior CWA officials to address this theft and illegal sale of water, seeking to uncover how long this network has been operating.

It appeared such practices may have persisted for around a decade, dating back to the MSM government led by Prakash Maunthrooa, who, it is suggested, may not have been aware of these fraudulent activities.

Minister Assirvaden is aiming to find out if high-ranking officials or those responsible for the free water services via tankers are implicated in this illegal network.

Serious repercussions are expected, alongside tightened controls on CWA tanker trucks—a measure that is being promptly enforced, especially in this period of water scarcity.

The CWA has around thirty tankers, each capable of delivering 15 cubic metres (approximately 10,000 litres) of free, potable water.

While private tankers also offer water delivery, customers must pay between Rs 5,000 and Rs 6,000 for a smaller load.

Water Crisis Persists Despite Recent Rain

In another troubling update, the recent passing of Tropical Cyclone Faida was expected to increase our reservoir levels.

Yet the seven major reservoirs were merely at 39.6% full, and as of yesterday (Monday), that figure saw a meagre rise to 39.8%—an increase of just 0.2%.

The situation remains critical, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts.

Source: Defi Media