KABONG: The pipelines installation project from Simpang Roban to Simpang Sungai Nyiar, which covers a distance of 5km, does not have a big impact on the water problem faced by the people here. Although it has been installed with a booster pump at Simpang Nyabor but the low water pressure problem is still ongoing.
This was informed by the village heads at the Kabong Water Supply Project Development Meeting at the Kabong District Office chaired by Deputy State Secretary Datu Abu Bakar Marzuki yesterday.
Although the project was successfully implemented within a month as required by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg during his visit here on May 21, residents here have yet to enjoy adequate water supply and there are still villages that depend on the delivery of water from the truck.
At a cost of RM6.5 million, residents here hoped the project will be accelerated by speeding up the additional pipelines work from Simpang Sungai Nyiar to Simpang Nyabor covering a distance of 14km. This is to ensure more water from the Lichok Roban plant can be routed directly to the reservoir and booster pump area at Simpang Nyabor to fill the storage tank to be pumped for residents.
According to Betong Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) source, there are 96 pipe branches sharing water in the pipeline from Simpang Nyiar to Kabong which causing the water pressure low and inadequate. According to Abu Bakar, he would bring the matter to the Chief Minister’s knowledge to find an approach to accelerate the project.
He said according to the original plan, the upgrading of water supply in Kabong for the second phase will only start January 2, 2019. Since it is still a long time to begin, then the installation of new pipelines should be prioritised and given priority. He added the Chief Mini s ter ’s Department was targeting 18-month period to complete all water upgrade projects in Kabong area where the development of rural basic amenities was now a priority of the state government – deferring mega projects such as LRT. Also present were Kabong District Officer Kamaludin Haji Alkap and Betong JBALB Engineer Aaron Gardino.
