Babagon Dam at healthy level, assures DCM

The water supply situation has improved slightly following rains in several parts of Sabah, said Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya.

He said the Babagon Dam is at a healthy level and can sustain three months without rain.

“At the moment the transition period has resulted in rain in some of the catchment areas.

“The water treatment plant in Kogopon is fully operational at 40 MLD (million litres per day) so we have about 49 MLD in Papar and there is a shortage of 10 MLD to 12 MLD in the district,” he said.

Shahelmey, who was met at the Jentayu Sustainables Bhd’s Hari Raya open house here on Tuesday, said this when asked for an update on the water supply situation in the state and especially in Papar which declared a drought emergency on March 13.

According to him, the Water Department is still continuing to deliver water to affected consumers through water tankers and static tanks, adding that consumers can collect water from the department too.

Overall, there is a slight improvement on the situation in Papar, he noted.

Shahelmey disclosed that Pulau Sebatik has received occasional rainfall but the level of the dam there is not at full capacity yet and currently, the water treatment plant on the island is operating at a minimum of 16 hours a week.

The Water Department, he said, is still sending water through tube wells.

“For Pulau Banggi, it is in a similar situation. Although there has been rainfall, the treatment plant there is producing 1 MLD and water is still being delivered to consumers there.

“In Kota Kinabalu, the challenge we face is not so much on the shortage of water in the dam but it is on the distribution, the NRW (non-revenue water), and illegal connections which we are trying to address.

“We have been taking action for improvement resulting in stabilisation (of the water supply) since late last year. We are (looking) into the vendor scheme as well as filling up reservoir(s) in Kota Kinabalu and hopefully by then, the water supply should be more stable,” he said.

Shahelmey who is also state Works Minister, added the Limbahau Emergency Water Supply (EWSS) plant in Papar has yet to resume operations.

The EWSS’ operations were halted from the second day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri due to high salinity levels in the water.

“I was briefed on the latest development in Papar this morning and was informed that the chloride content was still high therefore the EWSS Limbahau operation has yet to resume,” he said.

He added that the Jetama treatment plant adjacent to the Limbahau EWSS is using its second intake in Kabang and is therefore still operational, but only producing 9 MLD instead of 13 MLD.