Water delivered to UCA2 to ease woes
Published on: Tuesday, September 07, 2021
By: Sidney Skinner
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UCA2 occupants put up this banner as they are frustrated with the Department’s rationing of their water supply.
Treated water has been delivered to University Condominium Apartments Phase 2 (UCA2), in Telipok, to ease the difficulties which unit-owners have been experiencing in receiving a supply.Tap water to the property has apparently been erratic for more than a week.
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A spokesman for the agency said four-tanker loads of water was sent to UCA2 on Saturday.
He said a total of 100,000 litres was allocated by the Department to replenish the ground tank inside the compound.
“There may still be insufficient pressure for those on the upper floors to get a supply but, at least, the occupants can come down to manually get some water,” he said.
“In the meantime, our staff will periodically check on the distribution line leading to the property.”
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He said the tanker trips were prompted by pleas from the management company (MC) about the prolonged water woes there.
“These deliveries are intended to supplement the water which comes through our main pipes during that interval when a supply is rationed to the property.”
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The spokesman said the low water levels at the reservoir from which UCA2 draws its supply was to blame for the intermittent supply to those staying at the property.
“This situation was partly aggravated by the heavy rains which hit the State Capital on Friday and Saturday.”
He explained that a rationing-exercise had been implemented to boost the water levels at the Department’s R17 reservoir which services not only Telipok, but parts of Inanam and Manggatal as well.
The MC paid to have water sent by lorry to the different blocks around UCA2.
“With more and more residential and commercial properties coming up around these areas, both the Telibong Treatment Plants are straining to keep up with the added requests for a supply.”
The agency hoped to resolve water shortage in the Northern region of Kota Kinabalu by upgrading its Telibong 2 Plant, according to him.
“Phase 2 of the facility is tentatively expected to be operational in two years’ time.”
A MC spokesman said its staff had been scratching their heads over how best to handle the water situation at UCA2 as the incoming supply to the property was being disrupted every day.
For months, the MC has observed that the water from the pipes after the meter would vanish for hours on end, according to him.
“Towards the end of August, we only received between seven to eight hours’ worth of treated water a day,” he said.
“This is woefully insufficient to meet the needs of our occupants.”
UCA2 comprised of about 2,464 units covering a total of 40 blocks, according to him.
The spokesman said the management had been keeping the Department apprised of what was happening at the property.
He said the firm had written to the agency three times this year: on May 27, July 27 and September 2.
“We informed the Director, in each of these letters, about the stress the supply woes were causing our tenants and appealed for the Department to ensure that UCA2 received a constant supply of clean water.
“The MC has yet to receive an official reply to any of this correspondence,” he said on September 6.
On top of updating the agency about the supply to the UCA2, the MC has also taken to controlling the flow of water from the tank on the property to those living there.
The spokesman said tap water to the individual units was generally stopped between 11am–5pm daily so that the ground tank for the UCA2 could be filled.
“Occupants usually get water between 5pm –11pm and from 5am-11am.
The MC’s technicians in the process of repairing the water transfer pumps for UCA2.
“We couldn’t maintain this schedule towards the end of August. On the eve of Merdeka day, we had to shut off the supply to our tenants as early as 7.30pm.”
He said this went on for several days afterwards, much to the frustration of unit-owners there.
Some of them were so unhappy that they hung a banner near the main entrance to show how much they disliked the Department’s rationing exercise, according to him.
“The MC had to repair the transfer pumps for UCA2 around this time.
“These devices had been damaged due to the water pressure fluctuations and the airlocks which formed, on and off, in our internal piping.”
JACQUELINE, who occupies a third floor apartment, was unhappy about the irregular supply to UCA2.
“Tap water only comes between 5pm-6.30pm. It used to be available till 11pm but for the last five days, the taps run dry before then,” she said.
She said the pressure of the water coming into her apartment was also weak on many occasions.
“I have noticed that it trickle then vanishes after less than half an hour.”Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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