DAP working closely with KWB in addressing water woes in Kuching
In light of the recurring nature of water leakages, swift action must be taken to address this pressing issue and provide residents with the assurance of a dependable water supply.
KUCHING: The Democratic Action Party (DAP) will continue to work closely with Kuching Water Board (KWB) in addressing water supply issues here, said party man Michael Kong.
The special assistant to DAP Sarawak chairman Chong Chieng Jen said this cooperation meant to ensure that the needs and interests of residents would be prioritised and attended to.
“In light of the recurring nature of water leakages, swift action must be taken to address this pressing issue and provide residents with the assurance of a dependable water supply,” he said in a statement yesterday, issued following the recurring incidents of water pipe bursts at Lorong Lapangan Terbang 5F, which had become a pressing concern for the residents as the latest occurrence marked the fourth of such incident that had occurred in recent years.
Kong said another pipe burst occurred on Monday morning, which highlighted the urgent
Michael Kong
need for a comprehensive solution to this persistent problem.
According to Kong, KWB’s technicians have attributed these frequent leakages to the ageing asbestos piping infrastructure in the area, and warned that further incidents are likely without proactive intervention.
“While the short-term measures, such as the immediate installation of a 15.8-feet long water pipe to replace the leaking segment, have been implemented to restore water supply by this afternoon (yesterday), these stopgap solutions are insufficient in addressing the root cause of the problem.
“To safeguard the long-term integrity of the water supply infrastructure and mitigate the risk of future pipe bursts, it is imperative that KWB undertake decisive action to completely replace the outdated pipeline serving Lorong Lapangan Terbang 5,” he said.
Kong also pointed out that given the rapid growth of residential developments within the vicinity, it was crucial to upgrade the size of the existing six-inch water pipe to one of 10 inches in diameter.
He said this would not only ensure adequate water supply to meet the needs of the growing community, but also minimise the likelihood of disruptive interruptions going forward.