The Water Department is keeping tabs on the supply to one part of Beaufort to mitigate the irregularities which consumers there have been experiencing.
This action was prompted by feedback from a Kg Lumadan resident about the poor quality of the tap water in the village. His grievance was forwarded to the agency.
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The Department spokesman said the distribution-line servicing Kg Lumadan was flushed after the agency learned what had been transpiring in the housing area.
“Our technicians carried out flushing at different sections of the water mains,” he said. “This was done to minimise the presence of sediment in the supply to the housing area.”
He said the agency’s staff later checked on the condition of the treated water there.
“They observed, in this instance, that the supply was crystal clear.”
Nevertheless, the spokesman said, the Department would make regular checks of the water reaching the village going forward to ensure that everything was in order.
NIZAM of Beaufort said the colour of the water in his house resembled a chocolate beverage.
“It looks like Milo,” he said. “This has been happening on and off for the past month. On some days, I get ‘Milo Kau’ (Thick Milo) when I turn on the tap. On other days, I get ‘Milo Si’ (Light Milo).”
He shared his observations with one of his neighbours who said she feared using the water to cook, let alone bathe her young son.
Nizam was concerned about the negative impact of drinking such a questionable supply.
“I hope the Department will improve the cleanliness of the water being channelled to Kg Lumadan.”
He said the water quality had gradually been deteriorating ever since those in the village lost their water for a few days earlier this month.
In previous Hotline complaints regarding the poor quality of the supply, these occurrences have generally been preceded by a water disruption, with the sediment encrusted on the inside of the distribution pipes stirred up when the supply was restored later.
The spokesman confirmed that a shutdown had taken place around the time that the taps ran dry at Nizam’s premises.
He said the operations at its Beaufort 1 Treatment Plant had to be temporarily halted so that the wiring for the facility’s main control panel could be attended to.
“The water levels at several of our reservoirs fell, while the shutdown was in progress. These installations included R, R1 and those servicing the Limbawang, Batandok, Padas Damit and Garama areas.”
Between 25 to 28 million litres of treated water were produced daily at Beaufort 1 under normal circumstances, according to him.
The Department issued a notice at around 10.30am on the same day which the repairs were made to alert consumers in parts of the district about the loss of their tap water.
Besides Kg Lumadan, the other rural communities which were impacted included those at Kg Batu 58, Kg Batu 60, Kg Limbawang, Kg Takuli, Kg Kebatu, Kg Lupak, Kg Lubak, Kg Yagong, Kg Batandok, Kg Kepawa, Kg Gadong, Kg Tuhu Lupak, Kg Kebulu, Kg Menanjung, Kg Patani, Kg Jempangah, Kg Cina, Kg Bingkul, Kg Melelugus, Kg Klias 1, Kg Klias 2, Kg Klias 3, Kg Klias 4, Kg Kubu 1, Kg Kubu 2, Kg Mempagar, Kg Padas Damit, Kg Papasa, Kg Bintuka, Kg Bangkalalak, Kg Mentulud, Kg Kokob, Kg Kansa, Kg Shabandar, Kg Jabang, Kg Balila Jaya, Kg Taratak, Kg Kukut, Kg Raja Besar, Kg Indu Madi, Kg Kuala Balik, Kg Garama, Kg Kabajang, Kg Lago dan Kg Suasa Depan.
Unit-owners at Taman San Min, Taman Kinamas and Taman Lo Cong also felt the pinch, as did the staff at the District Council building, Beaufort Hospital, the Beaufort Mosque and SMK Beaufort 1 and 2 were not spared.
He said normal production resumed at Beaufort 1 later that night, with consumers regaining their supply in stages once sufficient pressure had built up in the distribution-line.
“It generally takes between two to three days afterwards for the tap-water to stabilise in some cases.
“Consumers living and working closer to our mains may not have to wait so long. However, those whose homes and shops are located on higher ground, or towards the end of our supply-line, may only regain their water after the third day.”
