Hundreds of millions spent to improve Sabah’s water supply

KOTA KINABALU: The Federal Government is spending hundreds of millions of ringgit annually through special allocations to im­­prove the water supply in Sabah.

These are mainly for the construction of water treatment plants, installation of new pipelines and replacement of ageing ones, according to officials.

In recent months, funding for 30 water treatment plants has been approved.

For the 2015 state budget, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman had announced more than RM571mil for water supply improvement.

These included the construction of a water treatment plant and pipeline network installation in Beaufort at a cost of RM226mil.

The money was also for the construction of the Keningau Water Treatment Plant costing RM235mil and replacement of pipelines in Kota Kinabalu under the Reduction of Non-Revenue Water (NRW) KK Phase IV programme costing RM38mil.

Last year, Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan announced that almost RM350mil was allocated to the Sabah Water Department to carry out several mega projects in the state.

These include the construction and refurbishment of water treatment plants in Beaufort, Kundasang, Semporna and Keningau.

Last February, Rural Development Minister Datuk Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced a RM48mil allocation for the construction of a water treatment plant at Moyog in Penampang.