Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Water Department’s work delivery system is being streamlined by the State Works Ministry to ensure that the delivery of water supply services is efficient and reliable, and no longer causes inconvenience to the people.
The Ministry has had to revise its plans due to the pressing water supply situation, particularly in Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Lahad Datu and Sandakan.
The Department’s assets have been causing disruptions to the water supply due to operational and maintenance issues. As a result, the Ministry is taking steps to ensure more effective actions can be taken to address this urgent matter.
State Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, in his winding-up speech for the Ministry, said implementing overdue tasks cannot be done overnight and requested some time to complete them.
He requested an internal audit to streamline the service delivery system at the Water Department.
He said the Department’s services would be streamlined and improved periodically based on the results of the internal audit.
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He suggested that contract procedures be tightened, considering his observations that revealed a lack of experience in managing contracts.
“It is necessary to enhance the capabilities of our civil servants to ensure that they comprehend their assigned tasks, carry them out with utmost dedication, adhere to the procedures and comply with the terms of their contracts,” he said.
He pointed out that his Ministry is currently considering the potential implementation of inter-machine transfer for managing the State’s water resources.
“We need to consider all research inputs and review the implementation schedule. It is crucial to derive valuable lessons from our current experience and, therefore, we must devise a robust plan,” he said.
He said it is important to ensure that the plan for building a reservoir can be implemented and completed according to schedule when the time comes.
“Currently, we face a delay in the completion of Telibong 2 Phase 2. If it had been constructed according to the original schedule, we would have had an additional supply of 80 million litres of water per day (MLD) capacity,” he said.
He said the Kogopan 2 project in Papar, which was supposed to be completed before 2022, would have added 40MLD.
According to him, the Department’s plan for the upcoming year is impressive. However, he has observed certain shortcomings in terms of timely completion of the plan.
Another weakness is when contractors do not adhere to the schedule or coordinate tasks properly, which can cause delays in completing the project.
He said it is important for everyone to collaborate in order to ensure that plans are made according to the schedule and available finances, and implemented effectively.
Regarding the problem of salty water faced by the people in Sandakan, it has been reported that the salinity level of the water is decreasing.
The Segaliud Water Treatment Plant daily report from a certified laboratory on the water chloride level test indicated that the water had a chloride level of 278.9 on Wednesday (May 24) and 289 on Thursday (May 25).
“I have observed a decrease in the salinity level and I am confident that it will continue to decrease.
“It is hoped that Sandakan will receive more rainfall so that the pumping of water from Segaliud River to Bentotan Dam can continue uninterrupted, thereby diluting the chloride levels,” he said.
“From a health perspective, the current level of chloride in the water is safe for consumption. However, it may impact the taste of the water,” he added.
Shahelmey said he hopes to achieve the desired water salinity level in the near future for the people of Sandakan, adding he will be monitoring the matter periodically.
He also said his Ministry is currently investigating the cause of the water supply disruption at the Kota Kinabalu International Airport.
“Currently, the water supply at the KKIA is adequate. We have filed a police report to initiate an investigation into the matter,” he said, adding the investigation report is still pending.
