Bung moots water reservoirs for every Sabah district

 

Deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin (centre) speaking during a briefing at Pitas. (Sabah works ministry office pic)

KOTA KINABALU: Deputy chief minister Bung Moktar Radin wants every district in Sabah to have their own water reservoirs as a short-term fix for the water woes in the respective areas.

He said these reservoirs can act as an alternative medium to store water for use when disruptions occur to the water supply due to heavy flooding or droughts.

According to Bung, several Sabah districts are unable to obtain a clean supply whenever there are such disasters as the water plants are unable to source water due to low water levels or debris in the rivers.

For example, during floods, he said the murkiness level at the rivers concerned are so high to the extent water could not be processed or due to the surface water intake being jammed with debris and mud.

“When such problems occur, the water stocks at the plants are limited (for distribution) and it can take weeks or even months before clean water can be supplied to consumers again,” he said, speaking after a briefing on the damage to public infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and pipes at the northern Pitas district, which was among the worst-hit by the recent floods.

Bung, who is state works minister, said the water reservoirs could be the next best thing as a stopgap solution to ensure the affected residents received clean water supply.

“Only three areas have such reservoirs now, namely Telibong in Tamparuli, and Milau as well as Sagaliud in Kudat,” he said.

Towards this end, Bung has told all district officers to form a special committee, which will be made up of various government agencies, to come up with a suggestion plan as well as earmarking possible sites to build the reservoirs.

He said once the committee submitted its detailed report, it would be easier for the government to decide on the follow-up action and the allocation of funds for the project.

Previously, Bung had proposed the privatisation of water services as a long-term solution to the water woes in Sabah.

He said Sabah needed to set up a water commission similar to the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) in the peninsula to oversee water and sewerage services in the state. - FMT