METAL thieves are partly to blame for the water woes which consumers in Ujana Kingfisher have been experiencing over the past few days.
Water Department personnel, checking on reports about the lack of supply in the Inanam neighbourhood on Wednesday found that its pumphouse, off Jalan Raja Udang, had been broken into.
A spokesman for the agency said the trespassers forcefully opened the padlock on the front gate, before fashioning “a hole” in one section of the wall at the back of the building.
“The thieves damaged the duty and stand-by pumps,” he said. “They also tampered with the cables inside the control panel and the ones leading to this housing.”
He said the Department’s technicians set about replacing the missing fixtures and damaged pumps several hours later.
“The supply to the housing area had to be stopped temporarily in order to accommodate the repairs.
“A notice to this affect was issued at 9pm on Wednesday to inform consumers in the housing area that they would lose their tap-water for the duration of the work.”
He said Kingfisher homeowners were advised to use the reserves in their storage tanks sparingly.
“The repairs were completed yesterday afternoon, with those living and working in this part of Inanam regaining their supply, once sufficient pressure had built up in the pipes leading to their individual premises.”
A police report was lodged about the stolen cables, according to him. He said the Police were still trying to identify the errant parties who broke into the pumphouse.
The spokesman said the agency deliberating over how best to improve the security of this property.
“We are seriously deliberating over the likelihood of replacing the existing fence with a new one which has an ‘anti-climb’ feature.”
Despite declining to specify the nature of this feature, he did not rule out the possibility that the fence might very well be electrified.
When asked how often maintenance was carried out on the two pumps, he said this was done according to a fixed schedule.
“They are checked once every two or three months. This periodic maintenance involves ensuring that the control panel, including the automatic sensor, works as it should.
“The pumps’ components are also greased as and when this becomes necessary.”
Prior to the recent vandalism, the spokesman said the agency had received reports about the intermittent supply on Lorong Ujana 11.
“We were made to understand that some consumers living on this housing road had not received a drop of water for three days.”
He said this problem was most likely caused by the low levels in the balancing tanks servicing the housing area.
“Our staff have been periodically keeping tabs on the level of the water in these installations to ensure that an adequate supply is reaching this part of Inanam.
“If need be, a water-balancing exercise will be carried out to stabilise the supply to our various commercial and residential consumers here.”
