WATER supply disruptions in Sabah have long been associated with rural and interior districts, where residents often endure inconsistent access to treated water.
However, recent events have shown that urban communities are not immune to the State’s longstanding water woes.
Over the past month, many residents in Kota Kinabalu and surrounding areas have faced periodic water cuts, forcing households and businesses to adjust their daily routines around an increasingly unreliable supply.
While the inconvenience to residents is significant, the impact extends beyond homes and offices. For vulnerable groups such as stray animals and the organisations that care for them, prolonged water disruptions pose serious welfare concerns.
Imagine being unable to access water for just a few hours while working comfortably in an office or relaxing at home. Now consider the plight of stray animals that depend entirely on shelters, clinics and compassionate caregivers for their survival. For them, water is not merely a convenience – it is a necessity.
One local veterinary clinic recently found itself grappling with exactly this challenge.
According to Jenny Chung of Borneo Animals Clinic in Taman Jaya Usaha, the facility had been without water supply on the afternoon of May 25 and the following days, severely affecting its operations and raising concerns about the welfare of animals under its care.
However, following enquiries by the Daily Express and after its staff informed the Water Department about the situation, water supply to the clinic was restored.
While appreciative of the prompt action taken, Chung said the incident underscores the challenges faced by essential service providers when water disruptions occur.
“As an animal clinic, this prolonged disruption seriously affected our ability to care for boarding animals and carry out surgery procedures,” she said.
Veterinary clinics rely heavily on a continuous water supply to maintain hygiene standards, sterilise equipment, clean animal enclosures, conduct medical procedures and ensure the well-being of animals under their care.
Without water, even routine treatments become difficult, while emergency procedures may face delays.
Chung noted that the latest incident was not an isolated occurrence.
“This is the fourth water disruption we have experienced since October 2025.
“The repeated interruptions are causing significant inconvenience and disrupting our daily operations,” she said.
Although supply has now resumed, Chung hopes the authorities will take steps to address the root cause of the recurring problem.
She stressed that facilities such as veterinary clinics cannot risk operating without a reliable and consistent water supply, as disruptions can directly affect animal welfare, sanitation standards and the delivery of medical services.
“We would like to know why this ongoing water supply issue has not been effectively resolved.
“Such disruptions not only cause hardship and inconvenience to the public but also raise serious concerns about the reliability and management of essential public services,” she said.
“We sincerely hope the relevant authorities will take immediate action and provide a long-term solution to prevent this problem from recurring.”
Businesses operating in affected areas have also reported disruptions to customer service and daily operations.
For healthcare-related facilities, including veterinary clinics, the consequences can be even more severe as water shortages directly affect health, sanitation and safety standards.
The issue has reignited broader discussions about Sabah’s water infrastructure, particularly in urban centres where residents expect a more dependable supply.
Authorities have previously attributed water disruptions to various operational and infrastructure-related challenges. However, affected consumers say recurring outages continue to disrupt daily life and business operations.
For animal welfare advocates, the situation highlights another often-overlooked consequence of water shortages.
Unlike households that may be able to purchase bottled water or store reserves, animal shelters and clinics require substantial quantities of water every day to meet operational and welfare needs.
As frustrations grow, affected residents and businesses are urging the relevant authorities to address the root causes of recurring disruptions and improve communication with consumers whenever supply interruptions occur.
For many Sabahans, the issue is no longer simply about temporary inconvenience. It has become a question of whether a basic necessity can be reliably delivered in a modern urban environment.
