Take Off The Meter To Immediately Enter The Home Installation, 42 Customers Of Perumdam Tirta Siak Pekanbaru Allegedly Curi Air

Illustration of the connection between the Regional Drinking Water Company (Perumdam). (ANTARA/HO-Perumdam)

A total of 42 points in Pekanbaru City are suspected to be the target of water theft. This allegation is based on the search by the Regional Public Drinking Water Company (Perumdam) Tirta Siak.

Director of Perumdam Tirta Siak, Agung Anugrah said, the 42 points include Bukit Raya, Payung Sekaki, Limapuluh, Pekanbaru Kota, Sukajadi, Senapelan and Rumbai.

Agung said the 42 points belonged to official customers who removed the water meter. As a result, water from the Tirta Siak Perumdam installation immediately entered the house installation without passing the measuring device.

"This is water theft and know this is detrimental to the state," he said in Pekanbaru, Riau, quoted from Antara, Monday, November 14.

He said that those who felt they had stolen water were asked to repent immediately because his party gave them the opportunity to immediately report to the office of Perumdam Tirta Siak.

"We will give the next 14 days, if you report it, there will be no prosecution. However, if you do not report it, it will be legally processed. Because this is detrimental to the state. Our team will go down and immediately process it," he said.

He said, with the theft of water, technically the service to the community was also disrupted.

"Peranggan yang taat bayar dirugikan dengan yang melakukan operasi pencurian air. Karena debit airnya terbagi, sering muncul keluhan pelanggan yang mengaku air di rumah kecil," sebutnya.

Chairman of the Legal Team of Perumdam Tirta Siak Budi Chandra added that the theft of water was a criminal act.

"In enjoying the facilities, of course there are rights and obligations there. We register in Perumdam, install water meters, we consume water, of course there is an obligation to pay for these facilities," he said.

He said that the theft of this water had various modes, ranging from removing water meters or maybe from the point where water sources were installed with pipes.

"However, we still respect the principle of presumption of innocence, we will investigate it again in the field. Of course, in this case, if we talk about crime, of course there is evidence. We cannot say that person stole without evidence. Of course we must look directly at the field," he said.

Especially for consumers who enjoy facilities but do not pay, his party appealed to immediately confess and immediately came to the Perumdam Tirta Siak office.

"Of course there will be relief from us if we come and report immediately. The action is in accordance with the rules, both the board of directors' rules and the provisions of the applicable law," he concluded.