Damaged pipes blamed for Inanam dry taps
Published on: Wednesday, May 05, 2021
By: Sidney Skinner
Water Dept staff also confirmed that a supply was reaching another property along the same distribution line
A problem at a reservoir servicing parts of Inanam, including occupants of the D’Vantage Apartments, was to blame for the water woes which consumers experienced recently.Apartment-dwellers received an intermittent supply over the Labour Day public holiday, with their taps running dry for most of Sunday.
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Tap-water only began to trickle back into their units about mid-morning the next day.
A disgruntled consumer contacted Hotline about these irregularities. She provided Hotline with the times and dates when she lost her supply over this period.
This information was forwarded to the Water Department.
A spokesman for the agency said the water level at the reservoir was found to be low at the time.
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“Upon further examination, it was discovered that the supply was not reaching the R17-reservoir as one of the pipes connected to the installation was damaged,” he said.
Repairs on the damage get underway.
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“Repairs were made as soon as this came to light, with our technicians completing the job in the wee hours of Saturday.”
He said the affected consumers regained their supply in stages once sufficient pressure had built up in the water mains.
“In the case of those stay at the apartments, this took a few days as the property is located towards the end of the distribution line.”
He said the Department’s staff checked on the condition of the water mains leading to the property on Monday, after being contacted by the media.
“Air-locks were found in sections of the pipe-line.
“Our staff had to release these blockages before the water could properly reach the balancing tank for the apartments.
“They found that the pressure of the supply reaching the water meters and fire-hydrants here was strong afterwards.”
MARINA, who occupies a second floor unit at one of the apartment blocks, bemoaned the erratic supply to her unit.
“The tap-water came and went over the course of Labour Day,” she said.
“I immediately contacted the management company (MC) and was informed that the Department had been informed about this situation.”
Some of her neighbour’s had been under the impression that the water to the property might have been affected by a scheduled shutdown.
The apartment-owner admitted that she found this to be a little dubious as the agency had not forewarned consumers to stock water in advance of such an event.
“No notices from the Department were circulated among the occupants via social media and no advertisements about a shutdown had been published in the local newspapers.”
Technicians checking on the damage to the pipeline connected to the resevoir.
On Sunday, when she turned on the taps at 4 am she found that she still had tap water.
“However, the strength of the treated water was greatly reduced.
“An hour later, the supply vanished altogether and did not return for the rest of the day.”
She said she phoned the MC and Department multiple times over the course of the day.
“Around noon, I was made to understand that a Department technician was checking on the weak water pressure.
“Later, one of the agency’s staff informed me that there might be a problem involving the pipes on the apartment grounds.”
Marina resorted to buying some cases of bottled water that day when it didn’t seem likely that there would be a resolution to these water woes.
“I was forced to bathe with mineral water that afternoon.
“Later, when I left for work, I brought some toiletries and a change of clothes with me. I did this in case I needed to take a shower at my workplace.”
The spokesman explained that the Department had been rationing the supply to the various commercial and residential properties around Inanam, including D’Vantage apartments, for some time.
“This exercise also involves consumers in Manggatal and Telipok as the demand for tap water in all these areas has exceeded the output from the existing treatment plants, he said.
“Those living and working here will find the supply to their premises reduced, or experience a low water pressure, from the late afternoon till midnight.
“Their supply will only return to normal in the wee hours after both the R17 and R18 reservoirs are refilled and the water levels at these installation have increased.”
Despite admitting that there was no quick-fix to the shortage, he said the agency was keeping an eye on the situation to ensure that its consumers did receive a supply.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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