A SCHEDULED water supply interruption (SWSI) will take place in Penang from April 25 (10pm) to April 28 (10am), affecting 341,708 consumers across all five districts.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow announced that the interruption will last a maximum of 60 hours (2.5 days) and advised consumers to store sufficient water during the duration.
“The primary objective of the SWSI is to complete the final connection of the pipeline crossing Sungai Perai at Kampong Teluk and Ampang Jajah, replacing the temporary pipes installed after the pipes burst in December 2023 and January 2024,” said Chow, who is also the PBAPP chairman.
“PBAPP will take advantage of the scheduled closure to carry out 23 waterworks projects at nine installations simultaneously, minimising the need for future disruptions. These projects will cost PBAPP RM25 million.
“While the shutdown period is set at 60 hours, in the interest of consumers, the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) aims to achieve 88% water supply recovery for 309,185 out of 341,708 affected accounts within 48 hours,” Chow said at a press conference in Komtar today.
Kampong Teluk and Ampang Jajah are two of four locations where underground pipes along Sungai Perai are being replaced with overhead pipes. The Sungai Perai Crossing Pipeline (SR-RCP) section in Seberang Perai costs RM8.7 million. The underground pipes at the other two locations will be replaced next year.
During the SWSI, PBAPP will conduct physical work for 18 hours at the first two locations. Depending on location, 40 per cent of affected consumers (136,683) can receive water supply within 24 hours, 88 per cent (163,502) within 48 hours and 100 per cent within 60 hours.
In general, areas closer to the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (Sungai Dua WTP) and major pipelines will experience a shorter disruption compared to those further away. Key industrial areas, including Bayan Lepas, Perai, Bukit Minyak, and Batu Kawan, as well as Penang International Airport, should have water supply restored within 24 to 28 hours.
Those residing on higher grounds and end-of-line neighbourhoods in South Seberang Perai and Southwest District may experience a slight delay in water restoration.
As part of the SWSI, PBAPP will also partially shut down the Sungai Dua WTP to undertake seven projects aimed at optimising treated water pumping and supply. The key works include upgrading and maintenance of treated water pumping operations, repairing a 700m diameter pipeline leakage, and replacing a butterfly valve on a major 1.2m pipeline section at Jalan Pengkalan Tambang, near the Sungai Water WTP.
Chow said it is incumbent upon factories and high-rise buildings to have water storage capacity for 48 hours to ensure smooth operations during the interruption.
PBAPP chief executive officer, Datuk K. Pathmanathan, announced that 84 mobile water tankers will be deployed to hotspot areas, prioritising 12 hospitals and 20 dialysis centres across the state.
“PBAPP will mobilise 800 staff members during the water interruption and activate all nine call centres. We urge all consumers to store water in advance and not wait till the last minute,” Pathmanathan said.
Also present at the press conference was the state Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari.
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Alissala Thian
Video by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi