Improved water supply to UMS after illegal connections cut
Published on: Sunday, June 30, 2024
By: Aishah Abdullah
Shahelmey said in June, the State Government placed tanks in selected squatter areas, thus minimising the incidence of illegal connections.
PUTATAN: The operation to dismantle illegal water supply connections by squatters in Sepanggar has stabilised supply to tanks at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), said Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Public Works, Datuk Ir. Shahelmey Yahya.
He also said over 600 illegal connections have been dismantled there since January.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Starting January, we have been monitoring and disconnecting every month, especially in the Sepanggar area,” he said, after presenting contributions to Outstanding SPM 2023 Students within Putatan.
He said in June, the State Government placed tanks in selected squatter areas, thus minimising the incidence of illegal connections.
“We hope this effort will achieve its objective soon while we finalise the vendor and prepaid system that can provide them access to water.
“This system will subsequently reduce the incidence of water theft, which not only disrupts water pressure leading to the main tanks but also results in loss of revenue for the government due to these illegal connections,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Asked about the implementation of the vendor and prepaid system, Shahelmey said it has been implemented in refugee settlement areas. However, in local squatter areas, particularly those in Sepanggar, the system is still being finalised.
“In local squatter areas, especially in Sepanggar, we are finalising several procedures because providing these prepaid meters does not mean recognising their occupation of land without grants. So, we are negotiating various factors,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
He said continuous monitoring and action are necessary because reconnections are often done within a short period.
“These are some of the challenges we face, and we are looking for mechanisms to minimise this situation,” Shahelmy said.
Regarding frequent bursts of main pipelines, particularly in Papar, a program to replace broken pipes is actively being carried out.
“We have a total pipeline length of over 1,500km, including both old and new pipes. In some areas like Papar, Sandakan and other towns, the pipes are over 30 to 50 years old, which increases the risk of breaks and dislocations. However, these incidents are monitored by the district water engineers,” he said.
Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
Daily Express Malaysia
.jpg)
.jpg)
