National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), has acquired equipment to detect illegal water connections that cost the institution about Shs25 billion water in losses a month, Daily Monitor has learnt.

NWSC Managing Director William Muhairwe told Daily Monitor on Tuesday the new gadgets would reduce the 40 per cent water loss once the use of the equipment is operationalised.

"Our officers will go to the field with machines and detect if there are illegal water users and if caught, they will be imprisoned or fined," he said.

"We have been too lenient, but now, all people with illegal connections should report themselves and we will not place charges against them."

He said commercial institutions were the most culprits of illegal water connections.

Some institutions, he said, are aided by NWSC impersonators and the company's undisciplined staff.

Mr Muhairwe appealed to the public to report all illegal connections detected around them to avoid inconveniencing the body's efforts in supplying water.

Over 40 per cent of the water distributed is unaccounted for due to malpractices such as illegal connections, metre failures and unregistered delayed detections.

Dr Muhairwe revealed that the company spends over Shs3 billion every month to treat water.

He said the national water supplier has also acquired new machines expected to treat sewage.

Unscrupulous water dealers have always taken advantage of water cuts to make quick backs.

During the recent water shortage in areas around the city, some peopel sold a jerican of water at Shs1500.

The most oftenly affected areas include Kawempe, Kasubi, Mulago and Nansana.