Cuenca Ecuador: Theft of Water Meters Increases

Increases in theft of water meters

elmercurio.com.ec reported in 60% in relation to the previous year, it increased in the Municipal Company of Telecommunications, Drinking Water, Sewage and Sanitation (ETAPA EP) the citizens’ complaints for the theft of drinking water meters. In the year 2016, an average of three to four complaints per month were registered.
The theft of these equipment with special coding occurs in both urban and rural areas, and its purpose is not resettlement, because they can be easily identified, but the collection of the bronze fragments that the meters possess, Which are extracted after a process of casting them, explained Francisco Crespo, marketing manager of ETAPA EP.
Currently in the canton Cuenca are installed around 129,000 meters of drinking water.
Due to the increase of this situation, considered by the authorities as atypical, it is recommended to the citizens to take the necessary precautions, since the user is responsible for the equipment.
To tell the marketing manager one of the best ways to protect the meter is by installing an iron protection that has a padlock.
They recommend that people who have been victims of meter theft approach the company as soon as possible to report the incident and make a new installation request. The cost of the installation order, which includes the equipment is $ 45, a value that the user cancels in the monthly consumption forms.
The estimated time for an installation is three to four days, however, according to the marketing manager when dealing with these cases the procedure is immediate so that the user will not run out of service. “When these cases occur, the rest of the facility is generally not damaged, so the cost is not high,” the official said.

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In the canton of Cuenca, about 129,000 meters of drinking water are installed by the Municipal Telecommunications, Drinking Water, Sewage and Sanitation Company (ETAPA EP). Read Article

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