SANDAKAN folks are left at their wits’ end after three months of being supplied with salty water on top of an extended period of water supply disruption which has affected almost 500,000 people in the Sabahan district.
According to a news report in The Vibes, folks in Sandakan have been complaining about a salty water supply since December last year.
This is despite the fact that the water has gone through water purifying machines, with folks claiming that it was as if a teaspoon of salt has been added into their water supply, thus prompting health and safety concerns.
In response to complaints, the Water Department explained that the problem stemmed from the irresponsible act of fishermen who had damaged parts of the river gate at Sungai Segaliud, resulting in seawater to enter into the water supply intake at the Segaliud water treatment plant.
The department went on to assure the public that the water is still safe for consumption and that new parts to repair the river gate will arrive this month.
The salt level in the water is reported to have been at 1000mg/l in December, and was reduced to 600mg/l in early February. The normal salt level in water is 100mg/l.
However, the people are blaming the Water Department for the problem, saying that it was because of its negligence that the damage at the river gate was ignored.
Elopura assemblyman Calvin Chong in a statement said the river gate was trespassed due to lack of security at the treatment plant.
“It must have taken a long time for the whole water reservoir to be salty, but the Water Department only realised the problem after complaints from residents. It means that they took a long time to realise that the river gate was damaged,” he was reported as saying by The Vibes.
Supermarkets and hypermarkets in Sandakan have also reported an insufficient supply of mineral water since December as people here started purchasing them in bulk for daily consumption.
Stocks of 6-litre mineral water, especially of the Spritzer brand, would be sold out within a few hours of it on shop shelves, reported the news portal.
Water dept must take responsibility
The severity of the situation had prompted Sandakan MP Vivian Wong to call for the immediate sacking of Sabah Water Department director Baharuhom K.K. Sogon for his failure to provide an acceptable standard of drinking water.
“This is absolutely unacceptable as the situation has not improved after over three months. He (Baharuhom) must be dismissed immediately for failing to discharge his duty,” the DAP legislator was reported as saying by the news portal.
Wong suggested that the Sabah government consider providing all Sandakan residents with six months of water bill rebates to compensate for their suffering thus far.
“The top management of the Sabah Water Department cannot pretend that all is well. We are facing a water crisis here and we have yet to hear from them to explain the situation,” she stressed.
“We are done with all the explanations and excuses. Such nonchalant attitudes and incompetency from public servants must be reviewed as (they are) stirring up a lot of resentment towards the government.”
Main pic credit: The Star
