KUALA LUMPUR – The festive season in Penang has been marred by water disruptions, leaving taps dry for consumers despite Christmas being just two days away and school holidays in full swing.
Penang Water Supply Corp (PBAPP) declared an unscheduled water disruption on December 19, affecting around 200,000 users in select areas of Penang district and Seberang Perai due to a burst pipe in Sg Perai.
The burst pipe, a critical component delivering treated water from the Sg Dua Water Treatment Plant to the third Penang Twin Submarine pipelines, spans from Butterworth on the mainland to the Macallum area on Penang Island.
Two days later, PBAPP CEO K. Pathmanathan said the repair team discovered another leak on the pipeline, prompting affected consumers to again fill up their water tanks in anticipation of another disruption.
In today’s 12pm update on PBAPP’s official Facebook page, the corporation revealed that more than 20 areas are still grappling with water supply disruptions, including Bayan Baru, Teluk Kumbar, and Batu Itam.
However, the announcement also mentioned a 50% recovery in water supply at Jalan Tun Dr Awang, Jalan Paya Terubong, Sungai Ara, and the Bayan Lepas area.
Frustrated customers urged PBAPP to provide concrete information on when water supply would be fully restored in their respective areas.
While acknowledging five days of dry taps, Facebook users Samantha Wong and Eva Tung called for more clarity on the timeline for water supply restoration, rather than just updates on affected areas.
Jamie Peace contested the ‘50% recovered’ status for Bayan Lepas, citing slow water pressure and some blocks still without resumed water supply.
“PBAPP Penang, when will you reach Batu Itam? Please be more efficient,” another user, Jacob Cheah, demanded.
Penang resident Theeban Raj inquired about potential rebates or discounts for affected consumers on next month’s PBAPP water bills, considering the prolonged issues stemming from poor pipe reliability maintenance, degradation monitoring, and the extensive water needed to flush out contaminants prior to full use.
In an update around 1pm today, PBAPP reported that over 19 areas are still affected by water cuts, with an additional 60% water supply recovery in Batu Maung and Jalan Permatang Damar Laut. – December 23, 2023