‘Save every drop of water’ plea
Published on: Wednesday, February 27, 2019
By: Hayati Dzulkifli
KOTA KINABALU: Sabahans are advised to use water prudently and wisely due the current dry spell that is expected to last till April.State Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Peter Anthony said any leaks in buildings or premises must be repaired immediately as every drop counts.
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State Water Department Director Amarjit Singh said the water woes that are quite critical in certain areas in the State had no connection with the termination of contracts of 58 outsourced water treatment plant concessionaries from six companies in Sabah.
He also assured absorption of all staff from the six companies are competent and efficient in manning the plants.
Amarjit was commenting on whether the current water woes were due to the termination of the contracts.
On water woes in Keningau, Amarjit said the villagers also had alternative source such as gravity water.
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On the Bingkor water woes reported in the paper, he said they have checked the matter and that for gravity water supply, the Water Department is not responsible as its jurisdiction is on supplying treated water.
Nonetheless, he said the department would contact the district office to use water tankers to supply water to affected areas.
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On the water woes in Sipitang where residents of Kg Lubuk Darat staged a protest on Sunday because no supply reached their homes the past eight months, Amarjit said he asked for a week to look into the cause of the problem and has directed his officers in Sipitang to provide a report.
“Actually we had a dialogue with the affected residents from 51 houses on Saturday (Feb 23).
“It is believed that the construction of Pan Borneo Highway project in the district has affected water supply to the villagers.
“Hence, I need a week to look into their water supply problem and we will come up with the best solution,” he said.
Amarjit said the Department may resort to cloud seeding if the drought since early February worsened beyond April.
But so far, the situation has not reached such level to warrant cloud seeding as six water dams in Sabah are now 80 per cent full and can last for few months.
“The Metrological Department has issued a statement that hot weather and dry spell at the end of north-eastern monsoon is expected to end by April. Thus, Sabah is not spared.
“The people should not be unduly worried or panic because water storage in dams at Penampang, Tamparuli, Sandakan, Lahad Datu, Kudat and Semporna can last for about two months. So far so good.
“As for the rivers, there are eight rivers in Sabah that are at critical level at the moment except in Beaufort, Kudat, Ranau and Tawau which are still okay but on the alert basis,” he said.
Amarjit said Kudat people had no problem facing water supply as the water storage in Milau Dam in Kudat can even last for two years.
Of the total 83 water treatment plants in Sabah, only one is not functioning since Feb 1 which is the Emergency Water Supply Scheme (EWSS) in Limbahau, Papar, due to saline intrusion (seawater) into the river.
He said the worst affected is Papar now with a water supply shortage of 10 million litres per day (MLD) as a result of shutting down the EWSS plant.
“There are three water treatment plants in Papar that normally produce a total of 53 MLD. However, due to the dry spell, only one EWSS plant in Limbahau, which is normally producing 12 MLD, is not functioning due to saline intrusion into the river since Feb 1.
“Another water plant in Limbahau which is used to produce 9 MLD could not get water from its intake that is very shallow. Fortunately, it can get water from Kabang and is now producing 7 MLD with a short of two MLD.
“Looking at its bigger water treatment plant in Kogopon, Papar that normally produces 35 MLD, it is now only supplying 28 MLD of water. As a result, the overall water production in the district is short of about 10 MLD and producing about a total of 43 MLD for the whole Papar,” Amarjit said.
He said the water woe is quite critical in Buang Sayang, Papar and its township whereby the Law and Native Affairs Minister cum Pantai Manis Assemblyman Datuk Aidi Moktar asked for water to be supplied to a mosque in Buang Sayang, last Saturday.
“The water in Kogopon River is depleting and its level is very shallow until the pump is exposed at the water intake.
“Following this, I have decided for a weir made of stones to be built at Kogopon River which has increased the water level, and yesterday (Monday), we managed to make the water treatment plant in Kogopon produce 32MLD but this is a temporary measure.
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