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THE Water Department is keeping tabs on the supply to a Manggatal commercial premises, as well as the condition of its booster-pumps in one part of Kinarut. 

This follows feedback from the operator of a shipping company in the Tebobon area and a homeowner at Taman Limauan about the intermittent tap water which they had been receiving for some time.

The former lost his supply for four consecutive days earlier this week, while the latter bemoaned the inconvenience of having to stay up late everyday just to stock up water.

Both consumers provided Hotline with the pertinent details, regarding their water woes, which were forwarded to the agency. 

A Department spokesman said a check was made of the distribution mains leading to the shipping company, off Mile 10 Jalan Tuaran, shortly after it was contacted by the media.

“The supply-line was found to be air-locked,” he said. “Our technicians cleared this blockage and then confirmed that water was reaching the consumer’s meter.”

He said, at the time, the pressure of the supply was deemed to be “acceptable”.

The difficulties in this part of Tebobon were triggered when the agency switched the supply for Manggatal and Inanam from its Moyog Water Treatment Plant, according to him.

“Since late last week, we stopped the direct tapping from Moyog and began using a new line from Phase 2 of our Telibong Plant. 

“Some unforeseen teething problems have arisen because of this switch.”

He said the agency was in the midst of testing the new connection. 

“Once we are satisfied that it is functioning as it should, a water-balancing exercise will be carried out to stabilise the supply which is being channelled to our consumers in Manggatal and Inanam.” 

Where Taman Limauan was concerned, the Department has stepped up efforts to check on its installations servicing the neighbourhood.

Another spokesman said the control panel inside the pump-house for the residential property had to be attended to occasionally due to the unstable power supply.

“The electricity to the facility had been tripping off late,” he said.

He said the duty-pump sometimes had to be manually reactivated after the power came back.

“Our personnel have been asked to be more wary of any blackouts and, if need be, to be prompt in switching on the device after the electricity is restored.

He said the pump facilitated the movement of water into and out of the two ground tanks servicing the residential property. 

Each of these receptacles could contain as much as 500,000 litres of water, according to him.

AINI, who lives in Taman Limauan, said tap water was only available in her house after 10pm.

“On good days, the supply lasts till 10am the next morning, before disappearing again,” she said. “On bad days, it lasts till 2am or 5am.”

“I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in months. I have to stay up late to store water.”

She admitted that she didn’t dare to turn in early for the night and just let the supply enter her tank as, very often, the pressure of the incoming supply was weak.

Aini suspected that a rationing-exercise may be in effect, which was why her taps ran dry during the day. 

“I think the Department diverts the supply away from Taman Limauan to another part of Kinarut between 10am and 10pm.”

The spokesman confirmed that the tap water to the neighbourhood was being rationed. 

“Our technicians have noticed that the electricity usually trips in the wee hours when the supply is being pumped out to our consumers here.”

When asked if Sabah Electricity (SE) had been apprised of the power problems, the spokesman said several of those staying in Taman Limauan had done this.

He estimated that there were over 1,000 consumers living in phase one of the housing area and more than 400 others in phase two.