Kota Kinabalu: The safety of the enforcement team from the Water Department engaged in dismantling illegal pipe connections in squatter areas necessitates a meticulous approach.
One of the risks faced by the enforcement team is the potential for electrocution during the dismantling process, according to Deputy Chief Minister cum Public Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya.
According to him, public suggestions of tracing the origins of illegal pipe connections based on where the illegal polypipe connection leads is considered highly risky due to safety concerns.
He said after visiting business premises in Pekan Tanjung Aru and Pekan Sembulan in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebrations, recently.
“Some say why don’t we just follow where the illegal pipe connection leads to. However, the risk is high because the Department’s enforcers have been electrocuted when pulling the illegal pipe.
“What we do is to cut off the illegal pipe connection and do periodic monitoring so that it is not reconnected,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said dismantling of illegal pipes is among measures taken to reduce water supply disruptions experienced by consumers around Sepanggar, including at the Universiti Malaysia Sabah due to water theft.
Periodic operations have been carried out in squatter areas near Kg Rampayan, Jalan Sulaman and near the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) campus in Kuala Manggatal.
He said that as an alternative to providing water to squatters, the Department plans to implement the Vendor Scheme, which appoints a leader in each squatter area to legally sell water.
He said under this approach, the Department will set up bulk metres in squatter areas to supply water in the allocated tanks before selling it to the squatters through the squatter area’s designated leader.
“Squatters require water, therefore they make illegal pipe connections because they are unable to apply for a legal metre due to their squatter status.
He said this approach could reduce illegal pipe connections and the number of leaking pipes caused by such activities.
When this is implemented, water from the water treatment facility will flow more smoothly to the main tanks,” he said.
