‘Until the well runs dry…’ – Water meter theft continues in Vryheid

“We never know the worth of water until the well is dry.”

It is an age old saying that boils down to the hypothesis that one does not appreciate what they have until it is gone. However, in Vryheid, this saying could well be interpreted in a literal sense as millions of litres of precious water waste away for the malevolent gains of thieves and vandals who care nothing for their contribution to the imminent threat of the well literally running dry.

While drought is a natural calamity and it initially brought on the fragile water situation in Vryheid, there are far more sinister forces at play now threatening to send our natural resources back on the downward spiral that resulted in an entire community being left without running water for more than a year.

https://vryheidherald.co.za/47848/water-meter-theft-on-the-rise/

Water meter theft has been a bane on local infrastructure for a long time, with the predominant theory behind the theft being poverty. Thieves were stealing the water meters to exchange the metal for cash. Understandable, to a certain extent.

https://vryheidherald.co.za/27513/water-meter-theft-a-serious-concern-2/

In recent times, however, brass meters were replaced with plastic meters to obliterate the scourge of theft. The year that Vryheid’s pipes ran dry gave criminals the advantage of being able to steal the meters without the telltale sign of water gushing at the scene of their crime. But then the drought ended, water supply was restored and, along with the water supply, the water meters that had been swiped in the interim, were replaced.

https://vryheidherald.co.za/50359/water-meters-to-be-replaced-after-the-rains/

Vryheid’s water woes are far from over though and logic should surely predict that consumers be compelled to work wisely and sparingly with each precious drop.

So why has water meter theft escalated since the water supply was restored?

Numerous cases of water meter theft have been reported in recent weeks, with a multitude of meters being swiped every night, resulting in massive water losses. There are several theories regarding the reasoning behind these thefts as the plastic meters have no monetary value and cannot be exchanged for cash.

There are those who speculate that the water delivery services may be behind these attacks on the water supply, while some believe there is a politically driven motive behind this latest destructive trend. Some believe that these are acts of theft and some believe they are acts of vandalism.

https://vryheidherald.co.za/62562/meters-smashed-by-water-delivery-vehicle/

Whatever the motives are, one thing remains clear and undeniable. These thieves must be stopped before they drain the community of its most precious resource – water.

Vryheid Neighbourhood Watch has set up an operation aimed at apprehending the criminals behind the water meter theft and encourage the community to get involved. If you notice that your water meter has been stolen or if you spot suspicious persons or activity in the vicinity of your meters, notify Vryheid Neighbourhood Watch immediately. Do not hesitate. The perpetrators are quick and nimble in carrying out their crimes. To catch them, we must be quicker.

Be aware of your surroundings and take note of suspicious activity, day and night.

To report your stolen water meter to Vryheid Neighbourhood Watch, contact them on 087 808 3508.

Consider this, how many litres of water are wasted with each moment that passes from the time they are stolen until they are replaced?

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