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RESIDENTS of Balik Pulau were hit by a water cut again as the troubled riverbed pipeline under Sg Perai in Butterworth burst - the fourth time in three weeks - putting a spanner into the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP)'s efforts to restore supply ahead of schedule.
As of 3pm, parts of Balik Pulau (southwest) district remained without piped water supply although PBAPP has informed the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) that it managed to restore access to water in a majority of accounts in the district.
Last month, many residents in Bayan Lepas, a locality under Balik Pulau where the Penang International Airport is located, suffered four days without water after the same pipeline burst twice despite valiant attempts to repair it underwater.
Despite the skilled presence of 16 divers, the pipeline continued to burst and the latest crack was detected around 10am, just four hours after PBAPP had declared that it had completed all repairs and maintenance for the scheduled 96-hour water cut in Penang.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow confirmed it in a social media post, citing that the restoration of water supply continues in Balik Pulau but admitted that it is at low pressure due to the crack, which occurred in a new area of the pipeline.
The 1.35m pipe which was laid underground in the 1990s by PBAPP, is now showing signs of wear and tear.
Chow said that the water disruption may continue to occur in Balik Pulau, and he urged residents there to conserve water.
Other districts in Penang, which have their supply fully restored, should not be worried, as the disruption is mostly confined to Balik Pulau only, said Chow.
He said that the riverbed pipe is no longer suitable for repairs and the follow-up action is to install a 900m in diameter pipe across the Ampang Jajar bridge to replace the existing riverbed pipe.
It will likely take some time to ready such an infrastructure.
Bayan Lepas assemblyman Datuk Azrul Mahathir Aziz said that the critical areas affected are in Setia Triangle, Teluk Kumbar, Sg Batu and part of Sg Ara.
"For now only five per cent of Bayan Lepas has water and others with either no water or low pressure." - The Vibes, January 12, 2024.
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