Tuesday, 15 July 2025

Bau water pipe upgrade project enters final tender stage

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Henry (seated, centre) speaks during a coordination briefing session regarding the treated water supply disruption issue in the Jagoi and Bratak areas of the Bau District, at the Bau District Office.

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BAU: The project to upgrade the 355-millimetre (mm) high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes along a 10.1-kilometre (km) stretch from the Bau traffic light junction to the Penjiru Pump Station is now in its final stage of tender preparation.

Deputy Minister of Transport Datuk Henry Harry Jinep said the project aimed at addressing the ongoing treated water supply disruption issue that has persisted since December 2024.

He said the RM7 million project is expected to be tendered in July and commence implementation in September this year, with a targeted completion period of six months.

“This problem has significantly affected 2,144 households involving about 7,000 residents, including in Stass, Serikin, Gumbang, Tringgus, and the surrounding areas, especially during festive seasons such as Gawai Dayak and Christmas,” he said.

Henry, who is also the Tasik Biru assemblyman, said this during a coordination briefing session on the treated water supply disruption issue held at the Bau District Office on Thursday.

He explained that one of the key causes of the disruption is the spike in population when residents return to their villages during festive seasons, where increased demand places strain on the existing pipe system, leading to leaks.

“When a pipe leak occurs, it is difficult to detect its location because it happens underground, and this affects access to treated water for residents,” he said.

He added there is currently only one pipe system, and it has reached maximum capacity due to population growth and the implementation of new development projects.

“Development projects such as the construction of the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security (ICQS) Complex in Serikin and new housing in villages resulting from road projects like the Pan Borneo Highway are expected to contribute to the rapid growth of this area.

“Of course, when such growth occurs, the need to increase the capacity of the water supply system becomes more pressing,” he said.

Thus, he said, this new pipe project will function as an alternative channel on the right side, which will deliver water to the Penjiru Pump Station.

“With a second pipe, we will have two channels. If one is shut down or experiences a leak, the other can still deliver water,” he added.

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