NIBONG TEBAL – Long-time residents of Sungai Bakap, particularly in the Mukim 5 subdistrict, are urging the Penang government to expedite the 5km water pipe project promised during the Sg Bakap by-election campaign. This project, they believe, would resolve the ongoing water crisis that has plagued the area for the past six years.
Taman Seruling Emas resident S. Muniandy and Taman Widuri resident Alizah Yunus told Scoop that water supply in their neighbourhoods lasts only two to three hours per day, either early in the morning or late at night.
Alizah added that residents in her area have been relying on rooftop water tanks, but these have been dry for the past three days, leaving them distressed.
“If (state government) can expedite (the pipe project) then please do so as we really need it.
“This is a problem that has been going for years, not just for two or three months,” added Alizah.
Meanwhile, Muniandy stressed that the water pipeline can ease the burden of residents in his neighbourhood, especially the children and the elderly, who have to walk all the way to static water tanks to fetch water and walk back home with heavy water canisters whenever there is water shortages.
Echoing Alizah and Muniandy’s concerns, housewife S. Lekknasri, 34, and school leaver T. Kannan, 17, shared with Scoop that they have been forced to fetch water, cook, and clean at relatives’ homes outside Sg Bakap.
Lekknasri said the water supply issue has affected her children’s education, as they have had to miss school for the past two days due to a lack of water.
In late June, during the July 6 by-election campaign, the Penang government announced that the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) would be carrying out water supply projects in the southern Seberang Perai district as part of its Water Contingency Plan 2030.
Among these projects is the installation of a 5km-long pipeline to channel treated water from the Bukit Panchor Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Jawi directly to Mukim 5.
The situation has worsened over the past two weeks due to a major pipeline leak in Permatang Pauh, which supplies water to the entire southern Seberang Perai district.
Why only us?
The persistent water shortage has left locals like Taman Widuri resident Hamidi Bakran, 35, and Taman Seruling Emas resident Zainudin Idris, 52, wondering why only Mukim 5 is affected while other parts of southern Seberang Perai enjoy uninterrupted water supply
Hamidi, a private sector employee, added that residents in Taman Widuri not only face increased water bills due to the tariff hike in February but also higher electricity costs as they rely on electric pumps to fill rooftop water tanks due to low water pressure.
“I just want to know that is the cause behind this (prolonging) water problem in this subdistrict, and how (the authorities) can rectify it. PBAPP has engineers that can look into this problem,” Hamidi told Scoop when approached at his residence.
The private sector employee also said that residents in Taman Widuri not only has to cope with increased water bill following the tariff hike in February, but also increase in electric bill as they have been relying on electrical pumps to fill up water in tanks installed in their houses as this neighborhood has been facing low water pressure.
Buy treated water from Kedah
Meanwhile, Zainudin called upon the state government to buy treated water from Lubok Buntar WTP from Bandar Baharu district in Kedah as a short term solution to alleviate water woes in this subdistrict.
Acknowledging the political differences between both Penang and Kedah governments, the eatery owner said: “These politicians just need to cast aside their ego if they care about the rakyat,” – October 3, 2024
