Sarawak govt to intensify water supply upgrades, pipe replacements, says minister
KUCHING: The Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant will be able to produce an additional 104 million litres of daily water production upon the completion of its Plant 2 upgrading works in July this year, said Utility and Telecommunication Minister Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi.
Julaihi, who visited the water treatment plant here yesterday, said the facility is currently producing treated water supply of 780 million litres daily (MLD), above the average demand of 730 MLD for the year 2024.
“With the completion of the Plant 2 upgrade which started on March 1, 2021, the Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant will have a total design capacity from 780 MLD to 884 MLD.
“The upgrade is to meet the water demand which has continued to rise in tandem with the growth of population, industrialisation and property development projects in Kuching city and greater Kuching,” he said.
He said Kuching Water Board’s water supply network comprises 11 main reservoirs and pipelines of about 3,000km that provide treated water to 198,643 active accounts in Kuching and in surrounding areas including Kota Samarahan, Asajaya, Santubong and Bau.
“Supply has to be readily available because any interruptions would lead to widespread inconveniences, losses and emergencies, thus, the repairs and rectification works also have to be carried out promptly,” he pointed out.
Apart from the Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant, he said the state government is also actively upgrading the state’s water grid project to achieve full water coverage by the year 2030.
“The grid which falls under ‘Projek Rakyat’, spearheaded by the Sarawak Rural Water Supply Department, is currently being carried out in phases in Tanjung Manis, Salim in Sibu and Slabi in Serian.
“The state government will also be spending more than RM240 million for pipe replacements this year and these upgrades will take time and we are doing it now,” he said.
Meanwhile, Julaihi in a press release later called upon the public and business sectors to brace for an unusually long period of dry weather between March and August this year.
The dry weather, he said, may lead to low volume of water and low water pressure for household usage, agriculture and more.