KOTA KINABALU: A recent viral video of a water storage tank contaminated with dirt and rust should be a wake-up call for those in charge of water management, says Datuk Shahelmey Yahya.
Although the incident did not occur in Sabah, the Deputy Chief Minister said that such matters must be noted, including by the Sabah Water Department (JANS) and the management of housing estates or areas.
Shahelmey, who is also the state Works Minister, said weaknesses in maintenance works were among the factors that could contribute to water tanks becoming contaminated.
“The viral video has been checked, and it did not occur in Sabah, but it could happen.
“There are scheduled controls in JANS on water tanks or other assets.
“However, we should differentiate the categories of assets directly under the department, such as those owned by individuals or housing management.
“Hence, cooperation from various quarters is needed,” Shahelmey said during a Hari Raya Open House for the Putatan parliamentary area and Tanjung Keramat state constituency in Putatan on Saturday (April 27).
The Putatan MP said this in response to questions about the maintenance procedures for water tanks to prevent contamination, as shown in the viral video.
He assured consumers that the water supply provided by JANS was safe.
“The treated water produced by treatment plants under JANS is all safe for consumption and adheres to the set regulations,” he said.
A video more than three minutes long recently made the rounds on social media. It showed maintenance work being carried out on a domestic water tank that contained brown-looking water and was also rusting from the inside.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s wife, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail, and Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh attended the Raya open house.
