‘Be mindful of installation irregularities’
Published on: Friday, August 25, 2023
By: Sidney Skinner
The newly repaired 6-inch AC pipe in Taman Indah Permai is seen above.
THE Water Department has called on its staff to be mindful of any irregularities involving its installations in one part of Sandakan and Manggatal to minimise the likelihood of leaks disrupting the supply in these areas.
This action was prompted by feedback about separate incidents of water wastage taking place in Kg Pukat at the former town and Taman Indah Permai at the latter.
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Earlier this week, a Penampang resident spoke out about the supply escaping from a meter outside a house at the water village which is located about 3.7km away from Sandakan.
The Department’s staff in the process of digging up this part of the verge on Lorong Indah Permai 21 so that the leak can be dealt with.
He had been on his way to see a friend staying in the area, when he noticed the water trickling into the sea below.
A homeowner in the Sepanggar area of Manggatal, on the other hand, had spotted wet patches on the surface of two roads in his neighbourhood.
He suspected that sections of the pipe – which run beneath these stretches – might have burst, giving rise to the intermittent supply which he and his neighbours had been experiencing for some time.
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Both individuals furnished Hotline with the pertinent information about their concerns, which was forwarded to the agency.
A Department spokesman said a maintenance contractor was alerted to the goings-on in Kg Pukat, shortly after it heard from the media.
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“His staff found that some of the connections at the meter-stand for the home in question had come loose and dealt with them accordingly,” he said.
“There was nothing to indicate that the pipes had been tampered with in some misplaced attempt to pilfer the supply.”
Given as how the house was elevated over the sea, he theorised that the connections might have gradually came away over time due to the natural movement of the waves and tide.
The spokesman said any air locks inside the section of the supply-line leading to the meter were cleared, after the repairs had been completed.
The contractor’s worker confirmed that water was reaching the device, according to him.
He said the pressure in the supply-line was found to be acceptable in this instance.
“Nevertheless, in light of what happened, our staff have been asked to be on the lookout for irregularities like this.”
He said such vigilance would go a long way to curbing further wastage.
The contractor’s worker attends to the meter-stand near this house in Kg Pukat. Water has been trickling through the loose connections and falling into the sea below.
“It will also ensure that our consumers in the village are not unduly inconvenienced by any unforeseen water disruptions.”
Meanwhile, the Department also dealt with a damaged distribution main along Lorong Indah Permai 21 recently.
Another spokesman said part of the six-inch asbestos cement (AC) pipe, which had been installed beneath the road shoulder, was found to have sprung a leak.
“Water was seeping up from underground and making the asphalt damp,” he said.
“The AC pipe most likely burst due to wear and tear. It was put in place here years ago and has become worn down.”
He said the agency’s technicians dug down to the affected section in order to carry out the necessary repairs.
“This is one of two leaks which has taken place in Taman Indah Permai over the past few days.
“Our staff are in the midst of dealing with a second burst near the ‘surau (prayer house)’ for the neighbourhood.”
He said the agency’s personnel had been urged to step up their surveillance of the distribution-line servicing this part of Sepanggar to mitigate these problems.
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