KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Batang Sadong Bridge is being reinforced in order to support the weight of rural water mains.
Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said that previous calculations did not take the pipes into consideration, and therefore the bridge must be strengthened.
“Last time, the plan was to use submarine pipes, but if there is a leak, we would not see it, especially in the peat areas.
“There will be additional weight but the bridge will be alright.” he explained during a press conference at Samarahan Division’s ‘Leader with the People’ session at Kota Samarahan Civic Centre today after attending a State Development Coordination Committee meeting for the division.
He said the state government was building up a water supply network especially in the rural areas.
Regarding electricity supply in terms of coverage, he said it is already at 99 percent while water supply is at 70 percent.
He said the rural distribution was being looked into as many pipes were old and prone to breakage.
Areas around Samarahan division which still lacked water supply included Sebuyau, Sebangan, Asajaya, Sadong Jaya, and Simunjan.
“Currently, there are no big pipes, so they are being installed,” he said.
He hoped that the network of water supply throughout the Integrated Regional Samarahan Development Agency (IRSDA) region would be completed by 2022 or 2023, effectively resolving water supply issues in the division.
At the same time, certain areas in the division still have electricity supply problems as many places were quite off-grid.
“What we have done is implement the Sarawak Alternative Rural Electrification Scheme (Sares),” he said.
