PLAN A, involving the repair works to re-clamp the 1,350mm underwater pipeline in Sungai Perai, has been successfully completed at 4.30pm today.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow announced that water supply recovery has started in stages since 6.30pm to the affected areas in the southwest district of Penang island.
“We anticipate that by 11.30pm tomorrow (Jan 27), 84% of 120,000 affected consumers will have their water supply restored.
“Meanwhile, the remaining 16% of affected consumers at the end-of-line and high ground will have to wait one more day (on Jan 28) at 11.30pm for the water supply to fully resume.
“So, it will take two days to normalise the water supply in the affected areas,” Chow told Buletin Mutiara during his site visit this evening.
Chow added that the completion of Plan A is just a temporary solution so that water consumers in the affected areas will have adequate time to store enough water for the upcoming Plan B.
Regarding Plan B, Chow said preparations for commissioning two new 600mm pipelines to replace the Sungai Perai underwater pipeline are in the final stage.
“We expect the preparation works to be completed on Jan 28. After that on Jan 29 (approximately at 11.30pm), there will be a scheduled water supply interruption (less than 24 hours) as the pipeline diversion works will begin to connect the two new 600mm pipelines.
“Subsequently, the recovery of water supply will begin on Jan 30 at 3.30pm to the affected areas.
“So, I hope the water consumers in the affected areas will store enough water to face the scheduled water supply interruption one more time on Jan 29 to facilitate the pipeline diversion works (Plan B),” he said.
Also present during the site visit were Penang, Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari and Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Siew Chia En
Video by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar