Penang began a four-day scheduled water cut yesterday, and Akmal said he was briefed by Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) CEO K Pathmanathan today that 350,000 accounts have got their “water supply back as normal”.
“PBAPP can achieve its 96-hour (supply recovery) plan. This is the commitment that they have given,” Akmal told reporters after inspecting work done by the state water company at the Sungai Dua water treatment plant here.
Meanwhile, PBAPP said it has completed preventative maintenance works at 21 of 22 locations statewide. Repair works are ongoing at the Sungai Perai riverbed pipe that was ruptured yesterday.
Pathmanathan told reporters that so far, only 5% of the accounts in the Barat Daya district have had their water supply restored.
“All of our assets will be mobilised to the district … We are still in the (recovery) timeframe,” he said.
Akmal also said PBAPP’s proposed solution to install an S-bend pipe as a permanent fixture for the Sungai Perai riverbed pipe would have to undergo the usual approval process at the federal level.
Asked whether the process can be expedited to address Penang’s water problems, he said the matter must be discussed with the irrigation and drainage department (DID), the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and the economy ministry.
Yesterday, Pathmanathan said installing the S-bend pipe would take time as it requires approval from Putrajaya and DID, which could take up to eight months.
The pipe rupture was the second to have taken place in less than a month following the first incident on Dec 18 which affected consumers in several parts of Seberang Perai Utara and the entire Barat Daya district.
Pathmanathan said the rupture was expected as the pressure was lower when the mains were closed to allow for the valve repairs. The two Swiss-made valves measuring 1.35m had been in use for 50 years.
Sixteen divers were sent to the bottom of the river to carry out the repairs yesterday, where a more secure clamp over a large section of the leaking pipeline was installed, but this was only a temporary measure.
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