P’pang Council to fix sewage plant woe
Published on: Thursday, April 22, 2021
By: Sidney Skinner
The drain runs near several neighbourhoods, a primary school and one part of Donggongon.
The District Council plans to upgrade the sewage treatment plant which services Taman Penampang Phase 2 and Taman Suria to minimise the nuisance posed by the stench coming from the facility.A Council spokesman said the agency had received an allocation for this purpose from the Works Ministry.
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“We are in the process of sorting out some of the details for the refurbishment effort,” he said.
“Once this is done, a tender will be called.”
He said the Council intended to have a new sewage-pump installed as part of this work.
“One of the two pumps was stolen after the plant was vandalised some time last year.
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“The existing pump has been operating flat out, since then, as we have lacked the necessary funds to buy a replacement.”
The spokesman was responding to a rate-payer’s misgivings about the presence of sewage in a drain near Taman Penampang Phase 2.
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He said a strong ammonia-like smell could be detected from the structure.
Effluent can be seen being released into this Penampang drain.
He feared that effluent might be overflowing from the treatment plant for the neighbourhood.
The individual expressed his concerns in a letter to Hotline which was forwarded to the Council.
The spokesman confirmed that sewage from the plant was entering the drain, saying that this was part of the plant’s design.
“This is nothing new. It has been this way since the facility was first set up years ago.
“The consultant, engaged at the time, is also responsible for designing the same kind of plant which is used at Taman Millennium.”
He said the effluent released into the drain had been filtered beforehand.
“The fluid has a ‘hitam, jernih (dark but clear)’ appearance to it and is not allowed to stagnate in the drain.
“Our staff make frequent inspections of structure to ensure that the drainage is functioning as it should.”
The spokesman said they also checked on the quality of the discharge from the plant.
“This helps us to determine that there is nothing amiss with the filtration process at the plant.”
ISKANDAR of Penampang said those staying near the plant had to keep most of their doors and windows closed in order to keep the foul smell from coming indoors.
“These residents have to put up with the lack of ventilation just to minimise this nuisance,” he said.
“I can only wonder how their wellbeing might be affected from having to inhale the fumes from the plant.”
He said one of his neighbours shared his frustrations about the “stuffy feeling” inside his home.
His friend bemoaned the discomfort of being shut-in, especially during the hot weather which the State had been experiencing off late.
This prompted, Iskandar to have a look at the goings-on at the plant.
“To my amazement, I found a clear fluid flowing, through a concrete gutter from the facility into a large drain nearby.
“I have a strong feeling that untreated sewage is somehow being discharged into the structure.”
He felt that such a practice was not just unhygienic but bound to have a negative impact on the health of the residents.
He said the drain ran near several residential properties, a primary school and one part of Donggongon.
Some of these areas were prone to flooding during a downpour, according to him.
“In these instances, when the drain overflows, the raw sewage is likely to spread out all over the roads and sidewalks near homes, the school and shops nearby.
“On top of this, any cars driving through the flood will surely be soiled by the effluent.
“Sewage residue will be taken along by these vehicles to their final destination.”
Iskandar said he had related his fears to the local authorities, including some of the local leaders.
He declined to name the politicians whom he contacted but admitted that the State Sewerage Department (SSD) and Department of the Environment (DOE) were made aware of his observations.
“The SSD sent an officer to investigate but I have yet to receive any feedback from the agency about my complaint.”
Iskandar hoped these government bodies would accord some priority to dealing with this problem before serious harm was done to those who lived and worked in these areas.
The spokesman refuted the claim that “raw” or “untreated” sewage was finding its way into the drain, saying that that effluent was being processed as it should.
“Our personnel confirmed this during an inspection after we were alerted to the rate-payer’s concerns,” he said.
“They have been asked to keep an eye on the treatment plant and the drainage in the area to ensure that everything is in order.”
Spokeswomen for the SSD and DOE said they would have to verify the goings-on involving the plant.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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