State executive councillor Zairil Khir Johari said the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) gave a 96-hour notice about the water interruption just in case some places might not get their water supply restored on time.

“Most will get their water supply back in 48 hours, especially those near water treatment plants. Supply to end-of-line areas or those in higher ground will follow soon after,” he told reporters in Komtar.

Zairil said about 590,000 water consumers on the island and Seberang Perai will be affected, or 80% of the state.

He advised those living in high rises to conserve water and also urged car wash and laundromat operators not to open their outlets during the four-day interruption.

According to Zairil, two major valves at a water treatment plant in Butterworth needed an urgent fix to avoid potential interruptions. These are control valves measuring 1.2m in diameter and are presently leaking.

He said other major fixes were being carried out in 22 other locations in the state too.

“If we delay repairs further, the valves might fail and make things worse,” he added.

Zairil said the urgent repairs to pipes that are over 50-years old would help plug leaks and reduce non-revenue water (NRW) or unaccounted-for water.

Presently, Penang’s NRW numbers are at 28.6%.

In March, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) said the national NRW average stood at 37.2%, resulting in a waste of 7.084 million litres of treated water daily with a total loss of around RM2 billion a year.

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