KUCHING: Recent water pressure and quality issues affecting parts of Kuching and Samarahan stem largely from leaks caused by third-party excavation work rather than problems at the treatment plant itself, says Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi.
“Any leak along the supply network, wherever it occurs in the southern region, can disturb water pressure and introduce sediment that affects colour and quality, since soil entering the pipeline takes time to fully clear,” the Utility and Telecommunication Minister said.
Julaihi made the remarks when met by reporters during a work visit to the Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant today (June 30).
To address this, he said he had instructed Sarawak Water and Jabatan Bekalan Air Luar Bandar (JBALB) to carry out system-wide flushing across Kuching and Samarahan to clear out contamination linked to such incidents.
He maintained that water leaving the treatment plant itself remains consistently clean, pointing to daily sample testing sent to the Chemistry Department as proof.
The issue, he said, lies further down the distribution line, where third-party leaks introduce impurities that require time-consuming flushing to resolve — a process that can temporarily lower water pressure for consumers.
Pressed on whether this was connected to disruptions reported in Asajaya, and a separate account from a Samarahan resident describing water loss between 11pm and 4am, Julaihi acknowledged the disruptions but attributed them mainly to the ongoing flushing and system-clearing works rather than any shortfall in supply.
He appealed for public patience and cooperation, noting that engineers, technicians and staff from both Sarawak Water and JBALB were actively working to resolve the issue, and that pressure and supply were expected to normalise once the flushing works are completed.
