The crocodile-infested Batang Lupar River poses a safety risk for villagers to fetch water.
THE Batang Lupar River is infested with crocodiles – and the threat of one lurking nearby is something longhouse dweller Watt Ka lives with each time he fetches water for daily use.
The 65-year-old farmer and other residents of Rumah Langkang Ili in Engkilili, Sarawak, have no access to clean water. The longhouse community depends on harvested rainwater, but during the dry season, they must draw water from the river.
“We use a water pump to collect water for the longhouse. One or two of us would stir the water with long wooden poles to scare off crocodiles in case any are hiding nearby,” Watt said during a recent visit by Mercy Malaysia Sarawak.
“When we feel it’s safe enough, we place the water hose by the riverbank. No one dares to go deeper to place the hose,” he added.
The collected or harvested water is mainly used for bathing, washing and cleaning.
For drinking and cooking, however, villagers rely on treated water bought from Simanggang town, about 20km away.
However, the journey to the town is not a comfortable one, as Langkang Ili and several longhouses nearby are surrounded by oil palm plantations.
“We don’t make frequent trips to town because the road can be quite bumpy, but we must go to buy drinking water,” Watt said.
When the village is flooded, water can rise up to 0.6m-0.9m and takes a day or two to subside.
“We carry 5-litre bottles to fill from a vending machine. Sometimes we buy bottled water to stock up, because when it rains heavily, our village floods up to 0.6m to 0.9m deep, and the water takes a day or two to subside,” he added.
In the past, the villagers used fuel-powered water pumps, but since their longhouse was connected to the electricity grid over a year ago, they switched to electric ones.
“This is the second set I’ve bought since we got electricity. They don’t last long because of the river’s condition,” Watt said.
“Other villagers face the same problem. Abrasive particles cause corrosion and wear down the pump’s internal parts.
“Every time we pump water, there’s debris – leaves, sticks, mud and stones – that damage the pump. It also tends to overheat during the dry season.”
Bathing in river water often causes itchiness and rashes among villagers.
Now, however, these long-standing woes may soon end with the implementation of a water supply project by Mercy Malaysia.
Led by its Sarawak project coordinator Diana David Itang, Mercy Malaysia visited the Langkang Ili longhouse to conduct community mapping and better understand the challenges faced by the villagers.
The international non-profit organisation held focus group discussions to identify the community’s needs.
It also encouraged community participation to instill a sense of responsibility for the maintenance of the water supply system once it is completed.
“In addition, the discussions created an avenue to identify social and health-related issues that can be addressed through improved access to clean water,” Diana said. “We also aim to enhance awareness and support for the long-term benefits of the project.”
At the same time, Mercy Malaysia Sarawak looked into other community needs – particularly in health, education and overall wellbeing – to ensure its interventions are holistic and effective.
As part of its outreach, the organisation also distributed 60 hygiene kits to promote better hygiene practices and prevent communicable diseases.
Langkang Ili village chief Ruekeith Jampong said access to clean water would greatly improve daily life, especially for women, children and the elderly.
He said it would support hygiene, sanitation and food preparation, reducing medical expenses linked to unsafe water while improving overall wellbeing and peace of mind.
“The project will provide a clean and reliable water source for the village. This will help reduce the risk of waterborne diseases and provide safe access to water, removing dependence on the dangerous river and ensuring resilience during dry seasons,” Ruekeith said.
“The Batang Lupar River is unsafe due to high lead contamination, which poses a health hazard – and it’s also infested with crocodiles, a serious safety risk for the villagers.”
Ruekeith praised Mercy Malaysia’s humanitarian effort, calling it an example of how NGOs can fill crucial gaps where rural communities remain underserved.
