KUCHING: The Ministry of Utilities is implementing the Sarawak Water Supply Grid Programme with the aim of effectively resolving water supply issues affecting areas under the jurisdiction of the Rural Area Water Supply Department (JBALB).
Its Minister, Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom said that a consultant had been commissioned to carry out the study on the Water Supply Master Plan and Water Grid, which provided a holistic plan for the development of water supply in the state for short, medium and long terms.
“The study is currently in progress and will take 18 months to complete due to the vast scope to cover,” he told a press conference after delivering his winding up speech in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting at the august House here yesterday.
Rundi said the implementation of the proposed projects under the Sarawak Water Supply Grid Programme would focus on the water stressed areas first.
“RM2 billion has been set aside to facilitate the implementation of such projects in the water stressed areas over the few years under the 11th Malaysia Plan,” he said.
“Under the RM2 billion, a total of 222 projects have been identified for implementation. They will involve raw water sources, treatment plants, distribution network systems, improvement works, pipe replacement, non-revenue water management, modernisation initiatives and the Sarawak Alternative Rural Water Supply (SAWAS).
“SAWAS is the most strategic water supply system that can provide safe water to the remote rural communities. Without it, there is no treated or safe water supply to remote and isolated communities of Sarawak as they are located too far from the existing water supply system,” he stressed.
“I am confident all these projects will be completed by the end of 2020,” he pointed out.