Published: Tuesday January 8, 2013 MYT 2:44:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday January 8, 2013 MYT 6:09:21 PM

Syabas: Water crisis in Ampang and Cheras to continue till CNY

Apartment residents of Ketapang Villa Taman Nirwana, Ampang taking water from their main pipe in the apartment building

KUALA LUMPUR: The water crisis in the Klang Valley, especially in Ampang and Cheras, is expected to continue up to the Chinese New Year celebration in February, according to Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor (Syabas).

The water supply situation in both areas will be monitored closely and Syabas will update residents on the latest status on a daily basis, its executive chairman Tan Sri Rozali Ismail, said.

He said Syabas had deployed technical and non-technical staff from various departments to assist the affected residents.

“It is our duty to supply residents with clean water and since we cannot do so with pipes, we will distribute water using lorries and tankers. We will help them carry the water to their homes,” he said.

Rozali was addressing about 200 Syabas staff at a briefing before their deployment to assigned areas, at the Syabas headquarters here on Tuesday.

He said people who wished to help those affected by the water crisis could contact the Syabas headquarters to register as volunteers and be assigned to the critical areas.

About 1,000 Syabas staff are involved in the round-the-clock operation, including the 450 technical staff already deployed when the crisis began two weeks ago.

Rozali said the crisis could prolong as there was a shortage of treated water, an increase in demand from time to time and suspension of capex programmes, which included repair works, upgrading or changing of assets and the current water distribution system by the state government.

Syabas Media Relations Unit Manager Norhaslina Ibrahim told Bernama that the Wangsa Maju pumphouse was only able to pump 180 million litres of water daily, 40 million litres less than what was needed to meeet the needs of all consumers in the affected areas.

“To supply all consumers with sufficient water, the pumphouse must pump at least 210 million litres of water daily, but we are unable to do so with the current pump as it has been overused and any overload will cause a bigger water disruption,” she said. - Bernama

News

Published: Tuesday January 8, 2013 MYT 2:44:00 PMUpdated: Tuesday January 8, 2013 MYT 6:09:21 PM

Syabas: Water crisis in Ampang and Cheras to continue till CNY

Published: Tuesday January 8, 2013 MYT 2:44:00 PM
Updated: Tuesday January 8, 2013 MYT 6:09:21 PM