Burst pipes interrupting water supply
The above burst pipes have been detected and repaired by JBALB. The frequent bursts are mainly due to heavy traffic, ground condition and aging pipes.
KUCHING: Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) explained yesterday that the interruption of water supply in Serian since Nov 2 was caused by a series of burst pipes along Jalan Kuching- Serian Road.
Pipes burst in front of JPJ Serian on Nov 2; in front of Pusat Pembenihan Jabatan Pertanian Tarat (on Nov 10 and Nov 13); Kuching Serian Old Road ( Nov 16); Kampung Baki ( Nov 24); spot near Sg Munjin bridge ( Nov 25), Km 35 Kuching- Serian Road ( Nov 25) and Taee junction ( Nov 28) as well as the discharge pipe from Stabun Reservoir ( Nov 24).
The areas affected were Jaya Ria, Rimba Padi, Panchor Dayak, Pati, Murud Plaman, Taee and Kuhas, JBALB said in a statement yesterday.
“The above burst pipes have been detected and repaired by JBALB. The frequent bursts are mainly due to heavy traffic, ground condition and aging
Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department
pipes,” the statement said.
JBALB has been monitoring water pressure in the distribution system which is lower than normal.
“As our water supply system operates on a direct pumping basis, after a burst, it usually takes a few days for the system to recover. This is mainly due to air lock and high draw off from premier consumers like institutions, farms, factories and mills. We also do not rule out that this lower pressure is due to burst pipes or leakages that are yet to be detected,” the JBALB statement said.
“Some stretches of our pipeline are buried under the road or covered by heavy vegetation. Apart from that, our pipe networks are very wide and the pressure in the system is very low, making it difficult to detect bursts or leakages. Nevertheless, our team is actively searching for them on the ground.”
In the meantime, JBALB has been sending water by tankers to areas affected.
JBALB acknowledges the assistance rendered by Kuching Water Board which provided two water tankers, and regrets the inconvenience caused.
For clarification and detailed information, the public can contact JBALB Serian at 082875319.
They are advised to call the department and promptly report any water leakage or burst pipes.
A resident of Kampung Panchor Dayak in Serian yesterday claimed that villagers faced water interruptions not only last month, but several times last year.
He called for more than one water tanker to come to the village since a tanker can only cater for 30 families. There are 100 households in the village.
He empathised with those whose homes were built on high ground as they would be the first to experience hardship during incidents causing low water pressure.