Water rationing begins

KUALA LUMPUR: While some Klang Valley and Putrajaya folks are well-prepared to face the month-long water rationing, some first-timers scramble to adjust to the days when the taps run dry.

Water rationing started yesterday for hundreds of thousand of households to tide over the shortage during the dry spell.

P. Thangamma, 55, who works at a clinic near her house, said she only found out about the water rationing from her neighbour at the Kampung Muhibah low-cost flats on Saturday night.

She had to scramble to store water for herself and her 19-year-old son, who is currently suffering from chicken pox.

“The heat is already unbearable and it is causing my son to feel more itchy. Now with the water rationing, it is making life even harder,” said Thangamma.

She was disappointed that no proper notice was put up in her area.

“If there were notices on the board near the lifts, people would have read it and would be prepared, instead of finding out at the eleventh hour,” she said.

Fellow resident, Zaidah Arshad, 36, said she too found out only on Saturday night and managed to store some water.

“This is the first time I’m experiencing water rationing so I am not sure how to plan for my family,” said the anxious mother of four.

Kanan Muniandy, 38, a lorry driver, had to fill up buckets with water from the firefighters’ hose reel.

“The water is murky and dirty, how can we use this for cooking, drinking and cleaning? I’m using this for my toilet,” said Muniandy, who lives on the 17th floor of the low-cost flats.

In Taman Sri Sentosa, people were seen buying water from the vending machines nearby.

Restaurant operator Amin Kassim, 60, said this was the first time he was experiencing water rationing, despite living there for several years.

With a restaurant in operation, Amin said he may need to fork out at least RM50 more to ensure his restaurant has ample water.

In Taman OUG, retired couple S. Balakrishnan and wife Annie Elizabeth said up to noon yesterday, they still had water supply.

The couple were prepared for dry taps and said the water tank supply in their home should be enough.

“I feel instead of two days, it should be every alternate day. That way it will not be difficult for us,” said Balakrishnan.

His neighbour, Goh Bee Choo, 50, said her family of seven, including two children would be spending less time at home due to the water rationing exercise.

“We will need to send our two young children to the nursery more often because of the water rationing. The nursery is situated in an area not affected by the rationing.

“At least the children will not be affected by this,” said Goh, adding that her family was also forced to eat out more.

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