On Monday, PBAPP said 200,000 water consumers in the state might face supply disruptions due to the burst pipe, the fourth incident since last month.

Chow today said the divers sent to carry out the reclamping work early this morning could not do so due to the strong currents.

Speaking to reporters after inspecting the pipework in Ampang Jajar here this morning, Chow said he hoped the reclamping could be finished by 4pm today.

“If it is done on schedule, then we will proceed with the next course of action which is to restore the water supply to the affected areas,” he said.

“This is what we are facing at the moment … We are racing against time. We want these works to be completed quickly.”

However, Chow said there would be a three-day water supply disruption from today if the reclamping is not successful, with water tankers to be mobilised to the affected areas.

“Water tankers will still be mobilised even if Plan A (reclamping) is successful,” he said.

Chow added that PBAPP’s Plan B, which is the connection of two new 600mm pipelines and the disconnection of a 1,350mm underwater pipeline, was 70% complete.

He said the first pipe was already installed while the second one was expected to be installed tonight.

“If Plan B can be completed by Saturday, that means that we are ahead of schedule with the works being done in 15 days instead of the 21 scheduled earlier,” he added.

The Penang government previously targeted an end to the pipework by Feb 2.