El Nino: Dept monitoring all tube wells
Published on: Sunday, February 14, 2016
Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Minerals and Geoscience Department is monitoring all tube wells in the State to ensure rural communities have continued access to clean and adequate water supply during this dry period.As the El Nino continues to scorch, communities in rural areas are left vulnerable as they are relying on rainfall for their supply of clean drinking water.The department's Deputy Director, Mohd Yusop Ramli, said there are about 100 tube wells that serve as an alternative water source for the rural communities. ADVERTISEMENT But due to the current dry spell, the department was not taking any chances, he added."We have been instructed to monitor all the tube wells, including those in peat swamps, in view of the El Nino that we are experiencing now. We want to ensure the communities are able to use the tube wells in case of prolonged draught and also to prevent peat fires," he said.A tube well has a long and wide stainless steel tube or pipe bored into an underground aquifer. It goes to a depth of between 50 and 80 metres to reach an underground water table.ADVERTISEMENT Mohd Yusop said the department is monitoring the performance of all tube wells and the quality of underground water sources that they draw from.He revealed that there are six tube wells that serve to tackle peat fires in the district of Kuala Penyu.
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Underground water is pumped out to the surface from these tube wells to keep the ground wet.Asked about the current state of underground water sources in rural areas, Mohd Yusop said based on the department's last inspection, the water level is generally adequate."We are monitoring the situation. If the dry condition worsens, we will increase our monitoring effort that includes doing an analysis of water quality to ensure it is not contaminated and safe for drinking," he told Daily Express.He said the existing tube wells were designed and built by the Government and handed over to rural communities who have to rely on rainfall for their drinking water. The communities are responsible for maintaining the wells.Mohd Yusop said his department has been given the mandate to undertake more tube well projects in the rural areas in Sabah, including in Kota Belud and Mantanani Island, this year.On Thursday, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia professor in climatology and oceanology, Dr Fredolin Tangang, said the current El Nino phenomenon has reached a decaying phase and will be over by the end of May. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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But, in spite of this, he urged everyone not to be complacent and continue taking measures to ensure minimal impact is felt. Among others, he advised the relevant authorities to ensure that vulnerable communities get adequate supply of clean drinking water.