Syabas' water disruption notice leads to confusion

Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd’s (Syabas) notice of water disruption across the Klang Valley this week, affecting nearly one million users, has confused users after Syabas issued differing statements to two separate news outlets.

A Bernama news report yesterday, quoting Syabas, said the water supply disruption would take place from 8am to 9pm every day, starting today until Dec 22, in order to make way for upgrading and repair works at the Sungai Selangor water treatment plant.

However, a report inKosmo! newspaper today, which also quoted Syabas personnel, claimed that the water disruption would be continuous from 9pm today until 8am on Dec 22.

Malaysiakini noticed the confusion when observing people in the Pantai Dalam vicinity making preparations to store water this morning.

Hasmah Daud, 68, a resident at the Rakyat Pantai Dalam condominium, showed the Kosmo! report to Malaysiakini when approached.

According to her, she was only rationing water for between 8am to 9pm daily, but said that her house was still having water supply as at 11am.

“If they do it in stages, it is all right,” Hasmah (right) said.

“If they cut the supply for six days straight, we won’t accept that,” she added.

Malaysiakini contacted Syabas’ customer service centre and was given another different version by a customer service representative.

The operator informed Malaysiakini that the 8am to 9pm window was for Syabas to repair the water treatment plant and that the water disruption “can happen anytime”.

The condominium’s joint management body (JMB) informedMalaysiakini that water supply from Syabas was still being received by the building.

Its senior supervisor Bakharah Jani (left), meanwhile, has his own version and understanding of the disruption.

According to him, the water disruption was supposed to take place between 8am and 9pm today, and in case the water supply does not return at 9pm, then the disruption will continue until 9am on Dec 22.

“This is what we know,” he said, while adding that his side would be waiting for water supply from supplementary tankers by the local council if a lengthy disruption takes place.

[More to follow]