KUCHING (Feb 9): The Ministry of Utilities and Telecommunications (MUT) is assessing plans to develop new water treatment plants in Sebuyau and Tebedu to strengthen water supply in the Samarahan and Serian divisions.

Its minister, Datuk Julaihi Narawi, said parts of the Samarahan division do not have their own water treatment plants capable of meeting the growing demand for clean, treated water despite the area’s rapid development.

As a result, he said the Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant’s service coverage has been extended to Samarahan.

“Samarahan division does not have any facility that can produce treated and clean water except in Sebuyau.

“Even then, the water treatment plant in Sebuyau is a small facility with a capacity of only 3.5 million litres per day.

“Therefore, I have instructed Sarawak Water, in cooperation with the Department of Rural Water Supply (JBALB), to reassess and carry out a review on how we can meet the demand for clean and treated water in Samarahan,” said Julaihi during his ministerial address at a hotel here on Monday.

He said JBALB has also been directed to assess potential locations in Samarahan where new facilities could be developed to serve as backup to the Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant.

“Sebuyau has been identified as having sufficient raw water yield to support the construction of a new water treatment plant in the future.

“I have instructed JBALB to utilise the sufficient raw water yield available in Sebuyau to build a new water treatment plant in the future,” he said, adding that a plant with a capacity of at least 20 million litres per day would provide a strong backup to the Batu Kitang facility.

At the same time, JBALB has been asked to assess the feasibility of constructing another water treatment plant in Tebedu.

“Tebedu is understood to have adequate raw water resources to enable the development of a new water treatment plant in the Serian division, which would serve as a backup to the Slabi Water Treatment Plant.

“The Slabi plant currently has a treated water production capacity of 110 million litres per day,” he said.

Julaihi assured that the state would be able to meet future water demand, adding that Sarawak is also implementing alternative water supply systems using appropriate technologies to ensure sufficient clean and treated water for the people across the state.