KUCHING: Residents facing water supply disruptions in several parts of the state are expected to receive water deliveries within 12 hours of submitting an application.
Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas said the measure is among the short term solutions being pursued by the state government to address water supply disruptions amid prolonged hot and dry weather.
He said the Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) and Sarawak Water Berhad had been directed to ensure affected residents continued to receive water supplies, particularly in areas unable to obtain water through existing systems.
“Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg held a meeting to discuss the water problem in Sarawak and JBALB and Sarawak Water were asked to implement short term mechanisms to ensure water supplies could continue to be provided.
“At the same time, the relevant agencies are also supplying water to areas that cannot receive supplies through the existing system,” he said in a Facebook post yesterday (Sept 11) after officiating at the State Election Machinery Workshop for the N.19 Mambong State Legislative Assembly constituency at Kampung Gerung.
Uggah said the application process for water assistance would also be simplified to speed up the delivery of supplies to affected communities.
The Social Welfare Department (JKM) is also assisting by providing bottled drinking water to areas unable to receive supplies from JBALB.
Uggah said cloud seeding operations should also resume as soon as atmospheric conditions allowed to help increase water levels at catchment areas and dams.
He said this was particularly important ahead of the possibility of drier conditions in October.
“We need to ensure that water storage and dams are replenished through rainfall,” he said.
Several areas, including Murum and Batang Ai, had reportedly received rainfall, although its impact on water resources was still being assessed, he said.
Among the areas reported to be affected by water supply disruptions are Betong, Serian and Miri, particularly longhouse settlements that rely on gravity fed water supply systems.
Uggah said the relevant agencies were continuing to work on short term solutions for areas facing water supply disruptions.
