THE Water Department is monitoring the supply to Prima Kinarut South where some apartment-dwellers have been experiencing a shortage for some time.
Over 300 individuals stay on the property which comprises four blocks, with each of these buildings about eight-storey high.
A spokesman for the agency said it was aware that some of the property’s occupants only received tap water for a few hours each day, while others were unable to receive a drop at all.
“We are in the midst of discussions on how best to resolve these problems,” he said.
He said one of the department’s tankers delivered treated water to the property on Friday and Saturday to give the occupants a temporary reprieve from the supply woes.
Some of the apartment-dwellers were upset to see the water going to waste at these ground tanks for Taman Limauan next foor.
“The department sent a total of 90,000 litres over those two days to replenish the balancing tanks.”
He explained that the water problems at Prima Kinarut South were aggravated in part because the property was located at the end of the existing distribution line.
The spokesman said the goings-on at the apartments were also indicative of “the bigger picture” in the town.“Kinarut is ‘water stressed’. With more and more residential and commercial properties coming up around the town, our Kogopon Treatment Plant is straining to keep up with the added demand for a supply.”
Under normal circumstances, about 40 million litres of treated water was produced daily (MLD) at this facility, according to him.
“We hope to resolve the shortage once the new phase for the Kogopon Plant becomes operational in a few years’ time,” the spokesman said.
“Construction of Phase 2 got underway last year. This work is tentatively expected to be finished at some point in 2026.”
In the meantime, he said, the Department was keeping tabs on the supply to Prima Kinarut South, to ensure that the property received some treated water.
Since late last year, the spokesman said, a water rationing exercise had been implemented around Kinarut.
“The apartments receive an incoming supply on some days. On other days, treated water is channelled elsewhere around the district to give those in these areas a chance to get some relief.
Soiled dishes and cooking utensils pile up in this sink because the kitchen taps have run dry.
“We will try to push what we can to the property to offer the occupants some relief.”
LISS, who lives on the eighth floor, said the taps in her unit had run dry for the past five days.
“Prior to this, I usually received a supply for an hour in the morning and an hour at night,” she said.
“Over the past week, this schedule has not been met. On several occasions, I was only able to get water once a day: for about 30 minutes at night.”
Aside from this, she said, only the sound of air moving was audible when the taps were turned on.
She blamed this situation on the weak pressure of the supply, as well as the “penyaluran air yang tidak adil (unequal distribution of water)” within the property.
“Tap water runs more easily at some blocks than others,” Liss said, with those staying with at the latter having to make do with the meagre supply they received.
She admitted that it was very stressful to live alone under these circumstances.
“You don’t know when you might get a supply and, when you do, you might not be around to store the supply that reaches your apartment.
“It is impossible to keep your unit clean, let alone do your dishes or wash your clothes with the pitiful amount of water which trickles in.”
She lamented the added expenditure she had incurred in buying bottled water and taking her soiled garments to the laundrette.
Liss said she had repeatedly brought her difficulties to the attention of the developer and Department but, so far, her supply had yet to improve.
“As if this wasn’t bad enough, I caught sight of water spilling out from one of the ground tanks at Taman Limauan nearby over the weekend.
“This made my blood boil. I couldn’t understand how this wastage could have gone unchecked when those of next door have barely enough water to get by.”
She hoped the Department and developer would consider holding a dialogue with the tenants and owners at Prima Kinarut South.
“This will give us a chance to air our grievances and offer our opinions on what might be done to give everyone at the apartments more equitable access to tap-water.”
