Four water disruptions this month claim

KOTA KINABALU: The northern part of the state capital from Telipok to Manggatal and Inanam have been hit by water supply disruptions, according to a resident of Taman Rimba at Jalan Tuaran Bypass.

Identifying herself only as Tracy, she told The Borneo Post yesterday there have been four water interruptions this month, each time prolonged for two days.

She claimed her house had been without water for the third consecutive day.

“Imagine the amount of additional expenses we have to incur, buying drinking water and food from outside since we are unable to cook at all for the three days.”

Tracy claimed that each time she called the Water Department, the staff gave the same reasons, which are Bandar Sierra tanks are dry due to weak input from the Telibong water treatment plant, and water catchment is dirty due to debris brought by heavy rains, so they have to stop the water intake to clean up the mess.

“These problems had been identified years ago and the dry taps problem had been happening frequently but there seems to be no solution,” she lamented.

“The residents of Bandar Sierra and Taman Rimba had even called for a press conference to complain about the matter. Even Infrastructure Development Minister Datuk Joseph Pairin Kitingan had promised to look into the matter, but the problem persists,” said Tracy.

“Living here is worse than village life. We are surrounded by a big mall and other developments, living on the edge of the city and yet deprived of one of the very crucial basic human needs - water.