KUCHING: The problem of low water pressure faced by residents of Sibu Jaya will end soon with the completion of the upgrading project of pipe connection from the Salim Water Treatment Plant this December.
Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) deputy chairman Wong Ching Yong said this at a press conference after attending a briefing on the issue with the Sibu Water Board (SWB) and Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) here, on Thursday (Oct 21).
“This is a Christmas gift for 33,000 residents of Sibu Jaya as their water pressure will improve.
“The 53-km long pipeline extension of various sizes involve the Salim Water Treatment Plant to Kanowit, including the construction of the Durin Water Treatment Station and a multi-storey plant at Bukong Jagoi as well as other related works.
“Currently, 0.37km of the 1.87km pipeline have been connected and the process is expected to be completed by December.
“Meanwhile, the Kanowit Water Supply Project Phase II, which supplies water to Kanowit, Machan, Durin and parts of KJD (Kelupu-Julau-Durin) and Sibu Jaya, will also be completed this December,” said Wong, who is also Sarawak United People’s Party Dudong branch chairman.
SRDC chairman Sempurai Petrus Ngelai said this problem had occurred for about four years. The residents of flats in Sibu Jaya were the most affected.
“To overcome this problem, we have placed large water tanks at all the flats to store daily water supply from SWB.
“We also received many complaints from residents of Sibu Jaya and surrounding areas regarding this problem even though it’s not under our jurisdiction,” he said, adding that expanding the water grid system connection to Sibu Jaya would solve the problem in the long run.
He added that based on SWB, this water problem is due to the increase in population in Sibu Jaya and the existing water supply could not accommodate the increase in population.
