The City of Cape Town has reported “a notable increase” in the theft of water meters reported across the city over the past eight months.
A total of 3 341 incidents were reported from July 1 last year to April 30 this year.
This is an increase of 1 143 stolen water meters, compared with the entire previous financial year’s figures.
Scrap ValueThe city says it is no longer installing brass water meters, with plastic water meters now the preferred product, owing to the scrap value of the brass water meters.
“The brass water meters are being targeted and it will take some time before all meters are replaced with plastic ones,” says City of Cape Town Water and Sanitation MMC Zahid Badroodien.
“The cost for the city to replace a stolen/damaged 15 mm water meter is R3 260.60 while the cost for a stolen/damaged 20 mm water meter is R3 744.60.”
The areas hit hardest by the newest spate of thefts include Steenberg, Retreat, Grassy Park, Strand, Athlone, Woodstock, Ottery, Bellville South, Lentegeur, Manenberg and Belgravia.
The metro says it is offering a reward of up to R5 000 to any resident who reports incidents or provides information related to the theft and vandalism of water and sanitation infrastructure that can lead to a successful arrest, or recovery of the stolen equipment.