RM4b Tenom hydroelectric dam: Papar-Kaiduan Dam to meet city’s needs also being studied
Published on: Saturday, August 26, 2023
By: Hayati Dzulkifli
Hajiji (left) giving the thumbs up at the project launch at the Kogopon Water Treatment Plant Phase II project while Armizan (right), Shahelmey, Limus and others look on.
PAPAR: Sabah’s longstanding water supply problem is expected to be resolved through the Ulu Padas Dam in Tenom costing RM4 billion, work on which is scheduled to start in October and to be completed in 2027.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Haji Noor said it would be able to supply up to 6,000 million litres per day (MLD) and meet demand for 80 to 100 years.
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“It is a joint venture between the State government through Sabah Energy Corporation and the private sector,” he said, adding power supply needs would also be met.
He was speaking after the ground breaking ceremony of the Phase II Kogopon Water Treatment Plant project, Friday.
He also said another dam project – the Papar or Kaiduan Dam – is currently still at the feasibility study stage.
The project planned for more than 10 years needs to be implemented to ensure the water problems in Kota Kinabalu and its surroundings can be overcome, including to meet investors’ needs.
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Earlier, he was briefed about the Kogopon Water Treatment Plant’s present production capacity of 40MLD.
The upgrading would increase production by another 40MLD.
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Among the project scopes are the construction of a new treatment plant (40MLD capacity), Balancing Reservoir with a capacity of 10 million litres, three distribution tanks in Kimanis, Kg Nagapas (Papar) and Kg Ketiau (Putatan) and an upgrading of the water intake.
Hajiji said the Kogopon Water Treatment Plant project costing RM379 million would undergo upgrading works under its Phase Two development to boost production capacity from 40 MLD to 80 MLD that can last until 2040. Work on this project started this month and would be completed in August, 2026 benefitting some 160,000 consumers in Putatan, Kinarut, Lok Kawi and the vicinity.
“The project will increase water supply coverage to cater for industrial demands, particularly the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) and the Sabah Agro-Industrial Precinct (SAIP) under the Sabah Development Corridor.
“It would help to address water shortage in the Southern West Coast like from Kimanis, Papar, Kinarut, Putatan, and Lok kawi,” he said.
Hajiji instructed the Water Department to strictly monitor the project’s progress to ensure being implemented in accordance with its schedule three years from now, with no further delays.
“I do not want to see the project delayed and the people end up being denied water supply,” he said.
Most areas in Sabah are facing water issues, including in the state capital due to the lack of supply from the existing water treatment plants, in addition to the high non-renewable water (NRW) problem.
On the water supply problem in Tuaran up to Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), he said it is expected to be resolved by end of this year once teething issues affecting the Telibong Water Treatment Plant II project are addressed.
Hajiji assured that the State government is making every effort to address water woes in Sandakan, Tawau and Lahad Datu.
“We also intend to implement this (Papar) project so that water shortages will no longer occur. Every investor asks about our ability to supply water and electricity. We will work on both of these (utility) supplies and for information, the Energy Commission will hand over power to Sabah from January 1 next year,” Hajiji said.
Also present were the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Sabah, Sarawak Affairs and Special Duties), Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali, Deputy Chief Minister III who is also Sabah Works Minister, Datuk Ir Shahelmey Yahya, his two assistant ministers Datuk Limus Jury and Datuk Robert Tawik, Kawang assemblyman cum Yayasan Sabah director Datuk Ghulam Haidar Khan Bahadar, Limbahau assemblyman Datuk Juil Nuatim, Community Development Leader (PPM) for Limbahau Datuk Johnny Mositun, Sabah Water Department director Suhaimi Asbullah, Papar District Officer Mohd Fuad Abdullah and other officials.
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