Water Dept acts on maintenance at properties
Published on: Wednesday, June 02, 2021
By: Sidney Skinner
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The compound in a better condition after the greenery had been cleaned.
The Water Department has cut the grass and cleared the weeds around its installations in one part of Inanam.A spokesman for the agency said similar maintenance efforts would also be carried out at its other properties around the State Capital.
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“We will periodically keep an eye on the condition of the land where our installations have been set up and make sure that it does not become unkempt in future,” he said.
This action was prompted by a homeowner’s observations that the grounds for the Department’s installations near Taman Ujana Kingfisher had fallen into a state of neglect.
He claimed that the grass inside was overgrown and that anyone, including vandals, could access the respective properties as they were not properly secured.
The individual claimed that at one point some kids had climbed to the top of one of the installations to take photographs.
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He provided Hotline with the location of these installations, which was forwarded to the agency.
A Department pump-house in another part of Taman Ujana Kingfisher was equally overgrown.
The spokesman confirmed that the Department had some elevated tanks and a pump-house near the neighbourhood.
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He said the agency had checked on the condition of the perimeter fence for both properties.
“There were no holes in either fence and the gates to both properties were found to be in good order,” he said.
“Our staff did observe that the gates were unlocked. Chains and padlocks were later put in place at both entrances.”
He urged the public to report any unusual incidents they witnessed inside these properties directly to the agency so that action could be promptly taken to deal with such problems.
TEDDIE, who lives in Taman Ujana Kingfisher, said the grounds for the agency’s installations were unkempt.
“The land inside is covered with long grass and creepers,” he said.
He decried the “mini jungle” inside the properties as being a potential fire-hazard, as well as a breeding-ground for pests like snakes and rats.
The lack of maintenance made the homeowner uneasy as he feared that the well-being of his property and loved ones was being put at risk because of this.
Teddie got the impression that the area around the water tanks and pump-house had not been maintained “in years”.
He said the sorry state of the installations caught his eye, when the tanks overflowed for a week earlier in 2021.
“All of us living here were dumbfounded by the sight of the mini waterfall.
“This really grated on many of us as, for months prior to this, the supply to the area had been erratic.”
“While gaping at the spillage, I noticed that the grounds around the elevated platform, on which the tanks sat, were overgrown.”
He said the compound around the pump-house, in another part of the neighbourhood, was also in a similar state of disarray.
Teddie shared his observations with neighbour who claimed to have heard talk that teenagers had trespassed on the grounds of the elevated tanks.
“These youngsters had apparently climbed to the platform at the top to snap photos of the sunset on their handphones.”
He was made to understand that they managed to enter the compound as the gates were not padlocked.
“I fear other less innocent parties might access the grounds to vandalise the Department’s installations or steal the components.
“All of us living here could wind up experiencing a water disruption if anyone tampers with the mechanisms inside.
“I hope the Department addresses this problem before anything unfortunate happens.”
The spokesman said a technical fault was to blame for the overflow in Unjana Kingfisher.
“The altitude valve, which controls the level of water in the tanks, was found to have been damaged,” he said.
“A valve to the tanks was temporarily closed to stop the overflow while we set about looking for the necessary spare part.
“A new valve was installed a few days later.”
He said the agency’s personnel confirmed that the supply was restored to consumers in the neighbourhood afterwards.
Teddie’s grievance was initially forwarded to City Hall.
A City Hall spokesman acknowledged his concerns but said the agency was helpless to intervene on this matter.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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