Govt mulls north-south water main
This long-term plan is to ensure the people, especially rural folk, have access to clean and treated water
Second Resource Planning and Environment Minister Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, who announced this yesterday, said this proposal formed part of a long-term plan to provide clean and treated water to the people, particularly those in rural areas.
“What we have in mind is to have the main pipe from southern Sarawak connected to the north, similar to the power sector,” he said when officiating at the new office of the State Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) at ST3 in Jalan Simpang Tiga here yesterday.
Also present were Public Utilities Minister Datuk Dr Stephen Rundi Utom, Ministry of Public Utilities permanent secretary Ubaidillah Abdul Latip, and JBALB director Daniel Wong Park Ing.
Awang Tengah added that currently an interconnection of water supply from one region to another had been implemented, but not on this scale.
“For instance, in the case of water supply to Tanjung Manis, the raw water is tapped from Sibu and transferred to Tanjung Manis. No doubt certain regions will have ample raw water sources while other regions may just have a plain area with underground water source. I think this is one of the areas we need to take into consideration so that we can utilise the resources we have.”
Awang Tengah, who is the former Public Utilities Minister, hoped Dr Rundi would pursue this plan further to expand the state’s treated water coverage.
“Expectations are very high these days, so I hope there will be more focus, particularly for rural areas as these are the areas that need assistance. We don’t want our people in the rural areas to be deprived of either treated or clean water.” Awang Tengah said under the 11th Malaysia Plan, 795 water projects had been proposed to benefit an additional 79,130 households.
“However, only 218 projects have been approved with an initial provision of RM3.54 billion under the 11th Malaysia Plan.”
He said the state government would lobby for more funds for the remaining projects in the mid-term review of the 11th Malaysia Plan or next rolling plan.
The demand for water supply, Awang Tengah said, had increased drastically over the years.
In the last five years, for instance, the consumer base had increased from about 788,000 to 1,254,000 while the length of water supply pipelines increased from about 4,400km to 6,700km.
In terms of water treatment plants, their number increased from 76 to 90, he added.
On JBALB, he said the formation of the department was to take over the water supply responsibilities of the state Public Works Department (JKR). It is to specialise on water supply in the rural areas to enhance service delivery.
JBALB was set up last year and gazetted on April 19 this year.
“The ministry and the public are expecting that JBALB, as a dedicated water supply department, will be able to be more effective in planning, design and development of raw water source and water supply system in Sarawak, especially in managing, operating and maintaining of water supply system in areas within its jurisdiction.”
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