KOTA KINABALU: Sabah government needs to urgently replace old water pipes across the state, following its water supply renewal plan, according to Sandakan MP Vivian Wong. By speeding up the replacement process, the severe water shortages in various areas of Sabah, including the east coast Sandakan district, can be reduced. These disruptions, ranging from dry taps to low water pressure, have had a significant impact on households and businesses.
Wong mentioned that the Sri Harapan Old Folks Home in Sandakan recently experienced a sudden water shortage when their taps ran dry. Her office had to request water tankers to alleviate the shortage. “Water supply disruptions have been occurring too frequently in Sandakan. Most of them are caused by burst old pipes, resulting in low pressure or sudden disruptions. This has greatly affected the lives of the people in Sandakan,” said Wong. She added that the most recent incident involved burst pipes at Batu 19 on Saturday (July 8).
The situation was further exacerbated by scheduled maintenance at the Segaliud Water Treatment Plant on Wednesday (July 12), she informed. Wong also urged the state Water Department to establish standard operating procedures to guarantee sufficient water supply to all consumers. Since many of them do not have reserve tanks and have to rely on bottled water for cooking and drinking, it is crucial to prioritize supply to Duchess of Kent Hospital and homes for the elderly to ensure their daily operations are not disrupted.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
