KOTA KINABALU: Neglected boreholes, not depleted water sources, are the root cause of Sandakan’s prolonged water shortage, said Sabah Community Development and People's Well-being Minister Datuk James Ratib.
Following an inspection of the Hilltop Water Treatment Plant in Sandakan today, he revealed that while 10 boreholes were non-functional, three still had water but had not been maintained.
Some boreholes had reportedly been left unattended for over two decades.
“We found that three boreholes are still functional, but they just need maintenance. We can restore at least five out of these 10 boreholes. In that case, I believe we can immediately alleviate the water shortage in Sandakan,” he said, urging immediate maintenance work to take place.
Sandakan, home to nearly 500,000 residents, receives water supply from four main sources—Segaliud, Bukit Garam, Sibuga, and Hilltop water treatment plants.
However, the Hilltop plant was shut down in April last year after being deemed non-operational. It was previously reported that the closure was due to the boreholes drying up, contributing to the worsening water crisis.
The Sabah Water Department had attributed the crisis to increasing demand outpacing supply, with Sandakan requiring 190 million litres per day (MLD) while current production stood at only 165 MLD—a shortfall of 25 MLD. Segaliud, which supplies 50% of Sandakan’s water, had seen lower raw water levels, partly due to prolonged dry weather. The Bukit Garam intake, another key source, was also affected.
Authorities had resorted to emergency measures such as rationing and water trucking to manage the supply shortfall. However, James' visit today revealed that the Hilltop boreholes may not have dried up at all, contradicting earlier claims.
A similar issue was found at the Sibuga Water Treatment Plant, which has 29 boreholes, many of which have not been properly maintained. James said all of them should be restored to full functionality to maximise output.
He also criticised the lack of coordination between the Sabah Water Department and concessionaire companies, saying there were inconsistencies in their explanations for Sandakan’s water problem.
As Sandakan residents continue to endure supply disruptions, James assured that once repairs begin, water availability could stabilise within the next one to two months.
