KUCHING: Taking water from fire hydrant in the event that a certain area is cut off from water supply, must require an official letter from water authorities in Sarawak.
Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department director Datuk Khirudin Drahman said the water belongs to the water authorities such as Kuching Water Board, Sibu Water Board and Northern Region Water Board (Laku) Management Sdn Bhd.
As for the fire hydrants, they belong to the Fire and Rescue Department.
“According to the Fire Services Act 1998, water from fire hydrant is only allowed to be used during extinguishing operations.
“Each usage of water has to go through them (water authorities).
“That is why when the department wants to send water supply using the tankers, we will work with them (water authorities) and they will allow us to get water from the hydrant,” he said.
He told reporters this after officiating at the Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) Care – Fire Safety Awareness 2023 at the department’s headquarters in Jalan Setia Raja yesterday (May 8).
Citing an example of a water pipe leakage in Miri, Khirudin pointed out that the department would contact the (water authority) manager and inform that the tanker is ready to take water to provide for the community.
The water authority will then be present with the department to measure and calculate how much water is dispensed from the hydrant.
“We will not allow anyone, be it MPs or the Prime Minister, to take water freely from the hydrant.
“No, they need to have an official letter (from the relevant water authorities),” he said.
Should they want to take water from fire hydrant, they need to follow protocol and obtain a proper authorisation, he explained.
