Kota Kinabalu: The increasing demand for water supply has caused all water treatment plants (WTPs) in Sabah to operate at their maximum design capacity, including existing assets.
Deputy Chief Minister III and Public Works Minister Datuk Shahelmey Yahya said the Sabah Water Department (JANS) currently operates 89 WTPs across the State, with a design capacity of 1,534 million litres per day (MLD) and a current output of 1,420MLD.
In addition, JANS supervises and operates seven water dams, 1,126 raw water and treated water pump houses, including booster pumps, 161 generator sets and 1,150 water storage tanks across various districts.
“Factors such as population growth, the rapid development of new areas and the expansion of new economic activities have led to a continuous increase in demand for treated water supply,” he said in reply to a question from Nominated Assemblyman Aliakbar Gulasan during question time at the State Legislative Assembly sitting.
However, Shahelmey said JANS also faces challenges in providing adequate water supply facilities, such as ensuring the availability of raw water sources, climate change, unsustainable assets and a high rate of non-revenue water loss.
“Therefore, in each Five-Year Malaysia Plan (RMLT), JANS always makes long-term water supply development plans to ensure the water supply demand is sufficient for the next 30-50 years.”
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Through State and Federal Government financing programmes, JANS has implemented several long-term and high-impact water supply development projects.
These projects include the construction of Beaufort II WTP, Bunsit WTP, Semporna WTP, New Kundasang WTP, Apin-Apin WTP, Lihak-Lihak WTP, Dewata WTP and Limbawang WTP.
“In addition, there are other long-term projects currently being implemented, which are expected to be completed within 2-5 years,” he said.
These projects are the Lahad Datu Water Supply Scheme Phase 1, the capacity increase of Telibong 2 WTP, the capacity increase of Kogopon WTP, the upgrading of the Sandakan water supply system, the Tawau Water Supply Scheme Phase 3, the construction of Cinta Mata 2 WTP, the construction of Mamut WTP, Pitas 2 WTP and the Kasigui urgent water supply scheme (UWSS).
“JANS has also planned to increase the water supply capacity in other districts according to the West Coast, East Coast, and Interior Zones, listed in the Federal allocation programme to be implemented in the 13th Malaysia Plan (13MP).
“In addition to planning and building long-term and high-impact water supply facilities, JANS also implements projects to expand water supply coverage in rural areas throughout Sabah under the Sabah Rural Water Supply Programme (BALB) through the Federal grant allocation of the Rural and Regional Development Ministry (KKDW).
“The implementation of projects under this programme is expected to achieve the target of 90 per cent coverage of treated water supply for rural areas throughout Sabah by 2035,” he said.
