eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, the best performing municipality in KwaZulu-Natal with regard to Blue Drop accreditation, has made the news yet again.

Following the Blue Drop Awards on 7 May, the municipality has announced that it has recovered R1.2 million from illegal water connections in only two months. An uncompressing approach to illegal connections, which costs the council in the region of R100 million a year, has yielded the conviction of four Durban residents for their actions.

Head of eThekwini Water and Sanitation Neil Macleod, has stated that one of the convictions was a resident from Kenville who owed the city just over R26 000. After pleading guilty and being fined R500 in court, it was ruled that the individual be accountable for the remainder of the account.

Another resident of the same area had an outstanding account of R12 550, which was immediately settled after the court ruled in favour of the municipality. In addition, the individual had to re-apply for a new legal water connection. There are 12 current court cases involving the illegal use of water in the municipality.