1 week Ago By Audrey Dermawan
GEORGE TOWN: The scheduled water supply interruption in the state, which began on Friday, is expected to be fully restored by tomorrow morning.Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said pipe installation work by the Penang Water Supply Corp (PBAPP), which started about 10pm on Friday, was completed by noon today.He said there was a delay from the original schedule due to challenges at the installation site on the banks of Sungai Prai and the occurrence of high tides over the past two days.
"The installation work has been completed. Now, PBAPP teams are conducting tests and releasing air from the pipe system to ensure smooth water flow once the supply resumes."Water supply recovery for 88 per cent of the affected areas is expected to begin gradually tonight, with full per cent recovery targeted by 10am tomorrow ," he said after inspecting the pipe installation work at Kampung Teluk, Seberang Prai Tengah here today.
PBAPP had announced that water cuts would occur in most areas across all five Penang districts starting from 10pm Friday and would end by no later than 10am tomorrow.The water cuts, expected to affect 341,708 water consumers throughout Penang — including several industrial areas — were due to a partial shutdown at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant to facilitate the implementation of 23 scheduled water projects across the state.Chow urged water consumers, who have already received their supply, to use water wisely as this would help speed up the recovery process in areas that are still affected.
"Priority is given to Seberang Prai Selatan and the southwest districts, which are at the end-of-line distribution system and usually receive supply later than other areas," he added.He said PBAPP teams, in cooperation with local representatives, were monitoring the status of static water tanks placed at selected locations.Yesterday, PBAPP said there was a delay to pipeline connection related to the Sungai Prai River-Crossing Pipeline project.
Its chief executive officer, Datuk K. Pathmanathan, said a pit dug for this remaining connection was flooded with water and the contractor did not have enough water pumps on-site to remove it, which led to the delay.© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd.
