Sawas’ long-term benefits outweigh high start-up cost — Assistant minister

KUCHING: The implementation of Sarawak Alternative Rural Water Supply ( Sawas) may seem quite expensive at fi rst, but it is expected to last for at least 10 years with minimal maintenance.

Moreover, its performance in terms of water flow (quantity) could be remotely monitored, said Assistant Minister of Industries and Investment Malcolm Mussen Lamoh, who is Batang Ai assemblyman.

According to him, the project cost could reach RM650,000 – including that for the membrane technology to purify water.

“This project would be useful for the overall health and well-being of the rural community as treated water can be regarded as the ‘elixir of life’, apart from clean air and adequate food.

“Life sciences claim that ‘ man can survive only three minutes without air (oxygen), three days without water, and three weeks without food’ – all termed as the ‘wilderness survival’s rule of three’. The river water in rural areas is getting more and more polluted, primarily due to plantation and logging activities,” he told reporters after witnessing the launch of Package 3 Sawas project for Rumah Ninting in Nanga Jambu, Batang Ai by Utilities Minister Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi on Sunday.

Lubok Antu MP Datuk William Nyalau Badak and Assistant Minister of Water Supply Datuk Liwan Lagang were also present.

Sawas is a ‘stand-alone’ treated water supply system viable for residents of remote pockets.

Mussen viewed Sawas as a ‘ noble approach’ to enhance the well-being of isolated communities.

“For these communities, health is wealth. ( Without Sawas) they would have to rely on water from the river or rain, for daily use,” he said.

In a statement last year, Dr Rundi said the state government would expedite the implementation of Sawas to provide safe and clean water to the rural areas, as an alternative to the present, widely-used water supply system via gravity feed.

He said with the water supply coverage in the rural areas at 61 per cent, there was an urgency to speed up the provision of water supply to the rest of the rural populace, pointing out coastal areas across the state’s central zone – including Pusa and Kabong – as ‘critical areas’ that suffered from water woes, particularly during the dry season.