KOTA KINABALU: Sabah’s water demand is much higher than what its Water Department is able to supply for now, says state Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya.
He said current statistics showed demand at about 1,600 million litres per day (MLD) but the supply is only around 1,400MLD.
Moreover, increasing industrialisation and development could be affecting the supply to consumers, he added after the launching of the MyJANS mobile application here on Thursday (Jan 11).
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He said while the demand for water is constantly increasing, there are some obstacles affecting efficient delivery to all customers.
However, Shahelmey said the state government, through the Water Department, has plans in the pipeline to address this.
“What is going on right now is that there are delays in some of the projects and plans, such as the Papar Dam, late completion of new treatment plants and so on,” he said.
On the bright side, he said the launch of the Ulu Padas hydroelectric project last year would see Sabah’s treated water supply increase upon its completion.
“On the Papar Dam, we already have the technical report and are now waiting for the funding so hopefully we can have a decision on the way forward by the end of this year,” Shahelmey said.
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He said the Kogopon II water treatment plant, when completed in 2026, would see customers in the south of Kota Kinabalu and Papar areas getting better water supply.
He said the northern part of Kota Kinabalu already had its water issues generally rectified with scattered hiccups owing to piping issues that made it necessary for the increased supply to be delivered in phases.
He pointed out that rampant water theft continued to plague the utility company and paying customers as well, especially in the Sepanggar area.
“This is where you (the people) come in. Report to us if you know of any water thefts or incidents,” he said, adding that those with unpaid water bills must settle them to help the department operate smoothly.
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He pointed out that the Water Department has a backlog of over RM262mil in unpaid bills.
On the MyJANS mobile app,Shahelmey said it would help consumers in the state get faster and more efficient service from the Water Department.
Customers can not only file complaints or report incidents to the department via the app, they can also expect to get a response within 30 minutes, he added.
