MCWD weighs up call for water meter cages

CEBU, Philippines - The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) will have another look at the request of Talisay City Association of Barangay Councils president Charles Basillote for metal cages for brass-made water meters.

But in a press statement sent to The Freeman, MCWD management said there are lot of factors, mostly social and financial, to be considered in putting up the protective devices. 

However, the water district has also been looking into the effect on the installation of meter cuffs on some its meters since it is more cost-efficient and can be installed faster than meter cages.

The MCWD top management will discuss it in a meeting on Wednesday.

The proposal to install meter cages has been studied by MCWD for a long time already, the press statement read.

Based on the records at the Police Station of the City of Talisay, there has been an unbridled pilfering of MCWD water meters in most barangays in the city for the last two years.

Records show that from January 2013, 15 water meters were stolen with barangay Bulacao having seven water meters stolen in one day alone.

But the MCWD management has also aired the concern that meter cages could also be stolen. 

“MCWD and its consumers could lose both the meter cages and water meters to thieves at the same time, resulting to more financial losses,” the statement read.

Also, since the location of meters varies, this means the design of the meter cages should fit every water meter.

The production of meter cages will be cost-intensive and will take a long time if MCWD covers its entire service area or 140,000 service connections.

Initially, a cost estimate shows that a meter cage will be more expensive than a water meter itself.

MCWD, in the meantime, has been active in rewarding persons who help in the arrest or give information leading to the arrest of meter thieves.

It has put up a cash reward of P10,000 for anyone who can give information which will lead to the arrest and the prosecution of a meter thief. 

Another P25,000 will be given to anybody who can help MCWD prosecute a fence or those who possess, buy and sell stolen water meters.

However, the crime of meter theft only imposes a maximum penalty of imprisonment of three months, thus some meter thieves are repeat offenders.

Owners of junk shops who buy stolen meters have also found a way to avoid violating Presidential Decree 1621 or the “Anti-Fencing Law of 1979” by buying only parts of the meter, not the whole meter itself.  (FREEMAN)