MONTEGO BAY, St James –

Terrence Wilmot, manager of the National Water Commission’s Western Division Revenue Recovery manager has stepped up an aggressive campaign to recover millions in back charges owed by some 30 premises with illegal connections bypassing its meters.

A private school in the swanky West Gate Hills community was among those fingered during a recent check by revenue officers.

According to Wilmot, the educational institution has been allowed 30 days in which to pay up the charges, as failure to do so will result in litigation.

The Observer West understands that the legitimate supply to the school was reportedly disconnected late last year for an outstanding payment of $75,000.

However, the NWC’s probe subsequently revealed that the facility was being supplied by an independent one-inch main, illegally connected to the NWC main, from which the usage of water was not registered. The main was instantly severed by the utility company’s workmen.

The school’s administrators have subsequently cleared up the $75,000 arrears and this has led to the restoration of their legitimate supply.

Wilmot said back charges have also been applied to some 30 accounts in the upscale Ironshore community where illegal connections were discovered during the water company’s recent intense revenue recovery campaign.

Over $2m was realised from that effort. Additionally, the NWC relocated some 50 meters geared at making them more easily accessible to the company’s employees, and less accessible to tampering.

Between June and December 2008 the NWC revenue division targeted 476 accounts for outstanding sums owed. One hundred and forty-eight of the cases were settled out of court and 69 were settled through the courts. Of the $16.8m targeted some $5.5m was collected.

Meanwhile, Wilmot has vowed to keep up the pressure.

“A bypass is regarded as a criminal offence. It is defined by law as tampering on the works of the NWC. Therefore, premises found with bypasses will be subjected to prosecution,” cautioned Wilmot.

At the recent official commissioning of the $20-million Askenish to Dias water supply project in Hanover, Minister of Water and Housing Dr Horace Chang said unaccounted for water in St James moved down from 72.4 per cent to 51 per cent.

However, he said that even though “technical losses” were trending downwards, there was still a need to ‘get the illegal connections down’.