BALIK PULAU, Jan 14: Penang residents, especially those residing in the end-of-line distribution (EoL) neighbourhoods and highland areas in the southern part of the island, are grateful that water supply has been restored according to the schedule set by the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP).
Residents in Sungai Ara, Bayan Lepas, Batu Maung, Teluk Kumbar, and Gertak Sanggul were previously concerned that water supply to their areas could be delayed because usually if there was a disruption in water supply, they would receive water two to three days later compared to other places.
For example, following repairs to the pipe leak at the bottom of Sungai Perai in Butterworth, most of the affected areas started receiving water after two days, but residents in EoL areas only received water after four to five days.
A resident in Teluk Kumbar, Mohd Azman Ismail, 50, expressed his gratitude to PBAPP and the state government for restoring water supply as scheduled even though there was a new pipe leakage in Sungai Perai two days ago.
Mohd Azman said the water supply in his house was fully restored by 2 am this morning and he realised this after waking up.
“My family did store water in large barrels because we were worried that there would be no water for many days because before, if there was no water, we were the slowest place to get the supply (water), but this time it was really on schedule.
“Thanks also to PBAPP and the state government who worked hard to ensure that water supply followed the schedule. Moreover, during the water shortage, many water tankers, including those from the Volunteer Fire Brigade, came to deliver water in our area,” he said.
For Tang Weng Kit, 45, who lives in Bayan Lepas, he and his family also thanked PBAPP and the state government for carrying out their duties well during the replacement of two 1.2-metre control valve units that leaked at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant.
He said that early notifications about the scheduled water supply disruption had been very helpful, especially for him to store water and make early plans to deal with it.
“This time, the water supply disruption was not as bad as during the Sungai Perai incident because we were prepared, and we had enough water stored since many water tankers were provided in the residential areas,” said the factory engineer.
Zainuddin Zainul, 34, said that a well-organised plan and prompt action by the PBAPP team had facilitated the restoration of water supply to residents in the state, especially those in EoL areas.
“Alhamdulillah, congratulations and thanks to PBAPP, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, and all those involved in repair and water restoration work for the comfort of the entire population of this state. Best and well done to all who worked hard to ensure that the work ran smoothly according to the schedule,” said the resident of Teluk Kumbar.
Meanwhile, Bayan Lepas assemblyman Datuk Azrul Mahathir Aziz said that water supply in his area was fully restored at 5 am today.
He also expressed his gratitude to all parties, especially PBAPP and the state government, who were concerned by sending water tankers to ensure that residents in the area did not experience water supply disruption throughout the four-day period of the scheduled water supply disruption since last Wednesday.
PBAPP announced that it had successfully restored water supply to 590,000 total affected users according to the schedule set since last Wednesday, today.
In a statement, PBAPP announced that the third and fourth stages of water supply restoration involving 99.5 percent of the 590,000 affected users in Seberang Perai and on the island part and the remaining 0.5 percent of affected users in the EoL neighborhoods and highland areas in the southern part of the island were both fully completed at 6 a.m. today.
The scheduled water supply disruption was caused by the replacement of two 1.2 m control valve units that leaked at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant.
— BERNAMA