He said the water cuts will affect those in the Southwest district. However, as of now, no specific date for the water disruption has been decided.

The ruptured pipe supplies treated water from Butterworth to at least half of the island. Over the past two months, it had given way three times despite repairs being carried out.

According to Chow, work is under way to divert the pipe and have it run above the river temporarily.

“The upcoming water cut would not be as massive as before, as it would only take 16 hours to complete (the diversion).

“Supply is expected to resume in less than a day,” Chow told reporters on a site visit to the diversion work being carried out near Ampang Jajar.

The diversion work has started along the banks of Sungai Perai. It involves two pipes being stacked along the sides of the nearby Ampang Jajar bridge. While the work is being carried out, one of the four lanes on the bridge will be closed.

Chow said that following the completion of the diversion, the state will proceed to divert three other riverbed pipes along the same river.

These pipes were originally laid out in a straight line from a water treatment plant in Butterworth, cutting through the winding Sungai Perai at four different points, one of which is where the work has started now.

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