SHAH ALAM, April 24 — A total of 209 water theft cases were reported in Selangor last year, with most involving commercial accounts, the State Legislative Assembly was told today.

State Infrastructure and Agriculture Committee chairman Datuk Izham Hashim said 184 of the cases involved commercial accounts, while the remaining 25 involved domestic accounts.

He said 43 water theft cases had been recorded as of March this year, involving 12 domestic accounts and 31 commercial accounts.

“Water theft not only affects the supply system and the interests of legitimate users, but also has a direct impact on non-revenue water rates, water pressure stability and the integrity of the existing pipe network.

“As such, the state government, through the Air Selangor Enforcement Section, has carried out continuous monitoring, intelligence actions, and enforcement in accordance with the laws stipulated under the Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655) to curb water theft through several strategies,” he said at the state assembly sitting.

Izham was replying to an oral question from Mohd Razali Saari (PN-Sungai Panjang), who asked about developments in water theft cases and measures taken to address the issue.

He said measures implemented by the state government included daily preventive action through proactive monitoring in high-risk areas, responding to complaints and reports from frontliners, community collaboration, official complaints to Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd via smartphone applications, and wider cooperation efforts.

He added that integrated operations were also carried out by Air Selangor with the National Water Services Commission, local authorities and the media. — Bernama