Kedah village taps dry due to high usage nearby, says concessionaire

 

Kampung Sungkap Para folks complaining to an NGO representative about their water woes last week.

SUNGAI PETANI: An increase in water usage in an area surrounding Kampung Sungkap Para in Bedong near here has contributed to dry taps there for the past two years, said the Kedah water concessionaire.

Syarikat Air Darul Aman (Sada) said broken and old pipes had also contributed to the water supply shortage in Kampung Sungkap Para.

“The rise in demand from nearby residential areas and industries has caused the water plant to be unable to meet demand.

“The low water pressure problem is also caused by the village’s geography, as it is located on higher land and at the end of a water (supply) system,” Sada said in a statement to FMT.

The 200-plus villagers recently told FMT that water supply to their houses had been intermittent, and at one point last year, there was no water at all for at least half a month. Currently, water only flows for about an hour from 2am daily, they said.

Sada said it was now redistributing water to the village and would continue to send water tankers.

It also said the Bukit Selambau treatment plant — which supplies water to the area — was being enlarged and that this was expected to be completed next year.

Sada said a suitable location was being identified to build new water pumps to ensure enough pressure to the village.

“We are serious about addressing the villagers’ suffering and we are working to make sure it does not recur,” it said.

Contacted by FMT today, village spokesman Jenaki Sadayan said their situation had not improved. In fact, she said, the villagers had been told to get bigger water containers to store more water brought by tankers.

“How can we afford to buy new containers when we don’t have much money to spend?” she asked. - FMT