Menteri Besar Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah said the task force would come up with short and long-term measures to address the issue, including building tube wells in areas facing severe water supply problems.
“Some 1,000 people will benefit from each tube well, which would be built at a cost of between RM100,000 and RM150,000 each. They will be built in cooperation with the Geoscience Department.”
Bashah said besides tube wells, static 100-gallon water containers would also be placed in selected areas. These spots will be determined by the respective state assemblymen.
He also thanked concerned state assemblymen who had hired water supply trucks, using their allocation money, to be sent to severely affected localities.
“The recent spike in water use during the balik kampung (Hari Raya holidays) exodus has caused water interruptions in many areas.
“This has led to low water pressure in many areas.
“Nevertheless, we will roll out more short-term and long-term measures to reduce supply interruptions in the future,” he told a press conference at Wisma Darulaman here today.
Bashah said other reasons for water supply interruption included high instances of non-revenue water (NRW), which refers to the loss of water through leaks, theft or metering inaccuracies.
“This applies to treated water, which is lost before it arrives at the consumers’ premises.”
The worst affected areas were Kota Star, Kubang Pasu, Pokok Sena, Pendang, Yan and Padang Terap.
According to Bashah, of 500,000 accounts registered with Kedah’s water supply company, Syarikat Air Darul Aman (Sada), 41,000 accounts were affected by water interruptions over the Hari Raya holidays.
He also revealed that Sada received 2,000 phone calls as of yesterday, but only 50% were answered due to a shortage of staff.
Bashah said in the long run, the Federal Government would implement the RM37 million “Rural Water Supply” initiative, via the Rural and Regional Development Ministry. A tender will be called later this month for this.
Bashah also pleaded with Kedahans to stop using pressure pumps to increase water supply to their homes, as this affects water supply to areas on higher ground.