Consumers riled up over cuts

PETALING JAYA: Klang Valley consumers affected by the latest water supply disruption want the authorities to be more prepared to prevent such problems from recurring.

Many took to social media to vent their frustration and urge for harsher enforcement against polluters.

Rudzman Zabaruddin, 42, a food blogger from Serdang, said it was frustrating that Selangor residents had to face water cuts again.

“I’ve been living here for 14 years and this can be considered a yearly issue. And we were just recovering from the Sungai Gong issue, ” he said, referring to the odour pollution a month ago which affected 1,292 areas in the Klang Valley and 1.2 million consumer accounts.

Rudzman said he was sad to see many restaurants and stalls closed because of the lack of water.

Arveent Srirangan Kathirtchelvan, 26, from Taman Sri Gombak, said some residents went out to the nearest river to get water without considering cleanliness and safety.

He urged the Selangor government to come up with a back-up plan in future, such as an emergency water stockpile.

The state should also be looking into rainwater harvesting, he added.

Subang Jaya resident Seela Gunasakaran, 36, said she was shocked upon being told of the water disruption on Sunday night.

“I was away with my family when I received a call from my sister at 8pm, telling me that there would be water disruption.

“By the time I reached home, the water supply was completely out, ” said the entrepreneur, who has three young children.

“A water tanker was deployed but can you imagine the ordeal of queuing and then having to carry water home?”

Seela also claimed that the water the residents got was not so clean.

Nur Izzra Izzati, 30, was worried after she heard that water supply was unavailable at her parents’ house in Telok Panglima Garang.

She urged the authorities to impose stiffer punishment on offenders who caused water disruption and pollution.

Businesswoman Siti Nurathikah Abd Aziz, 24, from Sepang, claimed the water from the tanker sent to her place was not very clean as well.

“The water tanker lorry came this yesterday morning (yesterday), but sadly, the water was yellow in colour and you could smell chlorine in it.

“This is not the first time it has happened in Selangor. How come other states don’t have so many water pollution issues?

“This problem cannot be solved just by the government, but we the public must also take action, ” Siti said.

She called on residents to inform the authorities if they saw anyone carrying out acts of pollution in the rivers in the state.