Mobile water treatment unit in Ranau for two months
RANAU: The mobile water treatment unit being dispatched by the Ministry of Energy, Green Technology and Water to Sabah, will be put on standby in Ranau for the next two months while upgrading and restoration work is done at the affected Sungai Bambangan water intake.
Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Ongkili said the mobile unit called the “Nomad” will be installed at the Kenipir River which has been identified as source for raw water intake.
“After two months, the ministry through the National Water Service Commission will place the unit permanently in Sabah. The unit will be managed by the Labuan Water Department for any emergency situation in Sabah.
“This Nomad unit and its installation will cost about RM1.5 million. It has a capacity of one million litres (MLD) per day, which means it can cater to about 10% of the treated water requirement in Ranau,” he said after visiting the Kenipir River site on Monday.
Accompanying him in the visit were Kundasang assemblyman Datuk Dr Joachim Gunsalam, Ranau Water Department engineer Anthony Jullah and Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) life member Datuk Verus Aman Sham.
The mobile unit was shipped from Port Klang on Sunday and expected to arrive in Kota Kinabalu this week before being sent to Ranau where water supply was disrupted for 100,000 people following a mudslide on June 15.
“The mobile unit had to be shipped to Sabah from Kuala Lumpur because an air carrier cannot transport the 20 feet wide container,” Dr Maximus said, adding that the ministry has three Nomad systems – two with a one MLD capacity and one with a three MLD capacity.
“The units are set up in a form of containers that can be ferried around during an emergency. The ministry hopes to have a mobile unit with three MLD capacity to be put on standby in Sabah for any drought eventuality. The three MLD unit is in a 40 feet container,” he said.
He also said the Federal Government would find ways to assist the state authorities to finance some of the remedial measures that needed to be undertaken to repair damages that had affected water supply.
After his site visit, the minister and his group had lunch with members of the Mount Kinabalu Guides Association where its president, Richard Soibi, received RM50,000 donated by three companies to the mountain guides whose incomes are affected by the closure of the Kinabalu National Park.
Cheques for the amount was earlier handed to Dr Maximus by YTL Power International Berhad, Ekovest Berhad and S.E.H. Malaysia Group in Putrajaya.
Dr Maximus said he hoped Sabah will soon be free of earthquake and tremors so that the park can be fully restored.
“The government is aware that the earthquake has affected tourism in Ranau where 60,000 tourists visit each year. Other economic activities which rely on tourism are also affected,” he said.
Soibi informed that donations received from the public are managed by a lawyer appointed by the association.
He said that following the death of 18 people, including its members during the earthquake, the association hoped that its members would be covered by insurance.
“We hope the relevant authorities, either Sabah Parks or the state Tourism Ministry, could look into ensuring the association members are covered by insurance,” said Soibi.