KUALA LUMPUR – Ongoing elevator malfunctions at the Putra Ria apartment complex in Bangsar have exacerbated residents’ hardship, especially during water supply disruptions when they are forced to carry water up flights of stairs to their units.
The situation is particularly dire for those living on the upper floors of the 22-story building, which houses 10 units per floor.
Morazaman Zakaria, 48, a resident of Block 94, told Scoop that only one out of three elevators has been operational for a long time.
“The main issue is that only one elevator works. Even when water trucks come, we have to carry water up the stairs to our homes. My unit is on the eighth floor, and I often have to stop several times on the way up,” he said.
Air Selangor recently warned users in seven regions of the Klang Valley to prepare for water supply disruptions due to maintenance and asset replacement at the Sg Selangor Phase 1 Water Treatment Plant beginning today. Full recovery is expected by 12pm on Friday.
Abdul Rahman Samar, 50, another resident, said that prolonged water outages complicate daily activities, especially with the frequent elevator breakdowns.
He suggested that Air Selangor should not completely shut off the water but rather provide a window of two to three hours each day for residents to collect water.
“We need at least a few hours daily to gather water for the next day. Long outages make it difficult to bathe and use the toilet, let alone perform ablutions.
“If we spill water in the elevator, it could worsen its condition because it had just been repaired,” he said.
He added that he could only store a limited amount of water due to his small living space.
“I can only store drinking water in two buckets for bathing. I’m unemployed, so I can’t afford to buy water from outside. The cost would be too high,” he said.
Khairul Abd Razak, 38, a private sector employee living on the 13th floor, noted that many residents are unaware of the water disruption because the management communicates directly with property owners, leaving tenants uninformed.
However, as a long-term resident, he is accustomed to the frequent water issues and has made preparations.
“We keep tanks in the house and six large bottles of water for cooking, hoping they will last for three days. I’m concerned if the outage extends into the weekend when more residents are home,” he said.
Noor Azwah, 58, expressed frustration over the recurring water supply issues, especially since many elderly residents live in the apartment.
“Water outages happen frequently here. When we complain, they say it’s because we haven’t paid the bill. Even if some haven’t paid, why should those of us who have paid suffer?
“I’ve stored three barrels of water to last three days. If it runs out, I’ll have to buy water from outside,” she said. – June 5, 2024