BANTING, Nov 18 — The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Air Selangor) today raided the construction site of a highway project here on suspicion of water theft involving connecting an illegal water pipe extension to the main pipe.

SPAN Corporate Communications and Consumer Affairs Unit senior executive Loh Pit Mui said that the initial investigation found that the illegal connection of pipes had been carried out since January to supply water for the use of the highway construction project workers.

"We also noticed that the illegal pipe connection was near a water meter installed at a small garden near the construction site. The pipe connection was then channelled to the ‘rumah kongsi’ (workers’ quarters).

"The chlorine test performed on the water in a tank placed at the workers’ quarters also found that it was treated water while checks by Air Selangor showed there was no water meter was registered at the project site,” she told reporters after a surprise check at the construction site at Sungai Manggis here, today.

Loh added that the act of connecting the pipes illegally had caused Air Selangor to bear estimated losses of RM80,000.

He said that Air Selangor will submit a notice of claim for water loss to the contractor of the construction project and the case is being investigated in accordance with Section 123 (1) of the Water Services Industry Act 2006. — Bernama