Water interruption in Tanjong Manis now thing of the past
SIBU: The frequent water supply interruption in Tanjong Manis has been resolved with the handing over of the Sekumang Booster Station to the Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) on Monday.
Sibu Water Board ( SWB), represented by its general manager Sudin Jaya, symbolically handed over the station to the department represented by its director Daniel Wong Park Ing at the site in Tanjong Manis.
Minister of Public Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom was on hand to witness the event.
According to a SWB press statement, it was agreed in a meeting at the Public Utilities Ministry in December last year that JBALB should utilise the Sekumang Booster Station to reduce pumping pressure from Sarikei and thus reduce the chances of pipe bursts and increase the volume of water to Tanjong Manis.
Besides, it would allow Tanjong Manis to have additional water storage of four million litres of ground reservoir at the Sekumang Booster Station.
The station was done under the Tanjong Manis Water Supply, Phase 1 Package 8 project of the statement added.
It covers areas such as Tanjong Manis Township, Tanjong Manis Timber Processing Area, Tanjong Manis Housing, Kampung Rejang, Kampung Belawai, Kampung Jerijeh and Kampung Serdeng Ground Tank.
Water supply to Tanjong Manis, Rejang, Belawai, Jerijeh, Serdeng and Pulau Bruit comes from Bayong Treatment Plant via Bulat Reservoir to Sungai Baji Booster Station.
The supply then go through a 21km-pipe track crossing Rajang and Semareng rivers before it reaches Sekumang Booster Station.
The interruption of water supply to Tanjong Manis is caused by ageing and frequent bursting of the pumping main along the 21kmpipe track, requiring repair works at least once a month.
Frequent pipe bursts have also caused consumers in Belawai, Rajang and Jerijeh to face unstable and frequent water supply interruption over the years.
Assistant Minister for Environment Datu Len Talif Salleh, Assistant Minister for Public Utilities ( Electricity and Telecommunications) Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi and Ministry of Public Utilities permanent secretary Datuk Alice Jawan were among those present at the function.