JBALB working to address water pressure problem in Balai Ringin
BALAI RINGIN: The Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) is working round the clock to ascertain the cause of the low to non-existent water pressure in Balai Ringin.
According to JBALB Serian assistant engineer, the problem which started in early August this year is believed to be caused by a broken or cracked main pipeline.
“We are doing the best we can to identify the affected pipeline and rectify the problem as soon as possible,” the assistant engineer said when met at the water treatment plant here yesterday.
He pointed out that the plant is working like clockwork, adding that the gravity feed water tank is able to disburse a total of 1.2 million litres per day (MLD) of water for consumers in the area.
To test their theory of a leakage on the main water pipeline, the team filled the water tank to its full capacity and carried out an observation in mid-August.
“What we saw was that it took only four to five hours for it (water tank) to run dry. This somehow strengthened our theory that there’s a leak somewhere,” he disclosed.
The leakage, he added, could be the main reason for the loss of water pressure leading to dry taps in all 12 villages in Balai Ringin.
He also admitted that it would be a challenge for JBALB to pinpoint the exact location of the leakage as the laying of the main and feeder pipes were done on an ad-hoc basis in 1998, without any proper mapping system.
This, he added, was why JBALB personnel had to go down to the ground to conduct checks via ‘surface monitoring’ – starting from the water source down to each village.
“So far, we have found no leakage along the water pipes on the surface, which means that the problem is underground,” he added.
Meanwhile Assistant Minister of Youth and Sports Datuk Snowdan Lawan, who is Balai Ringin assemblyman, suggested JBALB to map the existing pipe system in the area as they go along in search of the leakage.
This, he said, would resolve similar problems faced by the people in Balai Ringin, especially the affected students at Sk Balai Ringin and SMK Balai Ringin.
“Out of goodwill, JBALB has managed to connect water from Kampung Serpan to the school blocks and its hostels,” he added.
Snowdan also revealed that a proposal would be submitted by JBALB to the Ministry of Public Utilities to upgrade the Balai Ringin water treatment plant.