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Henan Province cracks down on 'water mice'

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-28 21:39

ZHENGZHOU - Local authorities in central China's Henan Province are intensifying crack down on activities of stealing water from public facilities and residential lines.

A man who ran a car wash was fined after pleading guilty to charges of water theft and meter tampering in the province, court officials said Saturday. Chinese call such people "water mice."

Wang Guang, 36, of the provincial capital of Zhengzhou, removed his water meter and stole water from a nearby community for five months, the court said. The value of the stolen water was estimated at 1,021 yuan (US$149), and he received a fine of 2,000 yuan.

In many Chinese cities, water prices vary substantially, depending on whether the user is a home or business. The differences prompt some water-intensive businesses, such as car washes and bath houses, to tap into residential lines. Others go for public tanks and outlets.

Water stolen from public tanks and outlets exceeded 30 million tonnes a year in Zhengzhou, said Zhang Kexin, manager of the Zhengzhou City Water Company.

Over the past 18 months, Zhengzhou has imposed 5.2 million yuan in fines and implicated 26 suspects in water theft, among whom five have been  prosecuted.

Some 20 cities, including Tianjin and Dalian, across China have also cracked down on water theft.