KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah government has implemented two projects as an immediate measure to address water supply problems faced by residents in the northern part of the state capital here.
The projects under the Urgent Water Supply Scheme (UWSS) are being implemented at the Telibong I and II water treatment plants.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the first UWSS undertaken by Jetama Sdn Bhd at the Telibong I Water Treatment Plant at Tamparuli near here was completed on Oct 12 and would be fully operational by this December.
"Another UWSS project is currently being done at the Telibong II Water Treatment Plant, which is expected to be completed between February and March next year," he said after a briefing and site visit to the Telibong I Water Treatment Plant on Tuesday (Oct 25).
The UWSS Telibong I project involved the construction of a water package treatment plant with a capacity of five million litres per day (mld) to boost the plant's capacity to 80mld.
It will be fully operational once the installation of a 1.8km distribution pipe is completed.
Sabah Water Department director Baharuhom KK Sogon in his briefing to the Chief Minister earlier said that the Telibong I UWSS project would provide additional water supply to 25,000 residents to address the water supply problem in Tuaran and Tamparuli.
It would also allow for excess water supply to be distributed to households in the heavily populated Manggatal and Telipok areas.
On the other hand, he said the Telibong II UWSS project would boost water supply capacity at the treatment plant by another 10mld.
Hajiji said this systematic planning is expected to improve water supply in the northern parts of Kota Kinabalu as it would increase water production to a total of 15mld.
In the meantime, he instructed the Water Department to increase scheduled water rationing in areas badly affected by water shortages.
The state government is currently conducting a six-month feasibility study to build a 1,000mld water treatment plant under the Kota Kinabalu Water Supply Phase III as a long-term measure to solve the water supply shortage.
Also present were Sabah Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Yakub Khan, State Secretary Datuk Seri Safar Untong, Works Assistant Minister Datuk Limus Jury and Tourism, Culture and Environment Assistant Minister Datuk Joniston Bangkuai.
