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Plant 5 aims to meet growing water demand

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Julaihi (third left) receives a souvenir from Dr Wan, while looking on are (from left) Ir Alice, Liwan, Dr Abdul Rahman, and Rodziah.

KUCHING: Plans are underway to ensure treated water keeps flowing in taps even as demand grows here.

A new water treatment plant, known as Plant 5, will have an initial capacity to provide an additional 200 million litres a day (MLD) to complement the existing production capacity of 760MLD.

In the long run Plant 5 will have a production capacity of 800MLD, said Utility and Telecommunication Minister Datuk Julaihi Narawi.

It is to be built at a cost of RM1.6 billion, he added.

He hoped the first phase of Plant 5, to be built at Landeh in Padawan, will be implemented as soon as possible. 

“This will be done in stages and for the first phase, Kuching Water Board (KWB) is expected to start with 200 MLD first,” he said in a press conference after attending a briefing with KWB at its office along Jalan Batu Lintang here on Tuesday (Jan 18). 

He said the construction of the plant was part of a long-term plan to meet water demand. 

“The first phase of the project is expected to take three years to complete,” said the ministry in a statement. 

It also said that it would be a challenging year for KWB as they were required to produce more water to meet a steep escalation in water demand in its role as anchor plant for the southern region of the State Water Grid.

“It is banking on the completion of the upgraded Plant 2 by the end of this year to give an additional capacity of 100 MLD. 

“Furthermore, it is planning to upgrade its Module 7 to give another 100 MLD,” it said. 

Earlier, Julaihi was briefed by KWB general manager Rodziah Mohamad on the management and operation of KWB as well as the challenges faced.

Also present were Assistant Minister for Utility and Telecommunication I (Telecommunication) Datuk Liwan Lagang, Assistant Minister for Utility and Telecommunication II (Utility) Datuk Dr Abdul Rahman Junaidi, Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication permanent secretary Datuk Alice Jawan Empaling, and KWB chairman Datuk Seri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar. 

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