State to gazette 30 new water catchment areas

SIBU: The state government will gazette 30 new water catchment areas by the end of this year.

Minister of Utilities Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said the move would see 58 water catchment areas in total statewide.

“We are going to do gazetting of about 30 water catchment areas. We have to protect the water source – this is the only way for us to survive. We are doing the recommendations now,” he told reporters after officiating at Sibu Water Board’s (SWB) Appreciation Night 2017 on Friday.

Dr Rundi stressed that enforcement is also vital to protect the catchment areas, pointing out that the ministry is working with authorities such as the Natural Resources and Environment Board as well as Land and Survey Department.

On reducing non-revenue water, he said this is part of the ministry’s masterplan priorities, along with the replacement of pipes, retrofitting, refurbishment, and upgrading of water treatment plants.

“We are studying what we can do. In the plan, I think what we should do in the first phase of planning, we must be able to resolve all the scenarios of what we are facing today or the next five years.

“The next plan – water grid – will be the permanent solution to water supply problems in Sarawak,” he said.

He added that zoning would also help to identify potential problem areas, especially in coastal regions.

Dr Rundi also seeks to have all water authorities regularised and standardised under the ministry for better quality control, service and maintenance.