SANDAKAN – Patience is wearing thin for Sandakan residents after three months of being supplied with salty water on top of an extended period of supply disruption, affecting almost 500,000 people in the district.
Sandakan MP Vivian Wong called for the immediate sacking of Sabah Water Department director Baharuhom K.K. Sogon for his failure to manage the situation.
Most areas of Sandakan have been experiencing water disruption problems almost every week; with even two to three days going by in a week with no water supply.
Since December last year, people in Sandakan have complained of a salty water supply. Even water that has gone through purifying machines still tastes as if a teaspoon of salt has been added, raising health and safety concerns.
Following this, the Water Department explained that the problem stemmed from irresponsible fishermen who had damaged parts of the river gate at Sg Segaliud, causing seawater to enter the water supply intake at the Segaliud water treatment plant.
The department assured 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 carelessness that the damage at the river gate was overlooked.
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 said.
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.
They claimed that stocks of 6ℓ mineral water, especially of the Spritzer brand, would be sold out within a couple of hours of being on shop shelves.
Meanwhile, Wong urged the Water Department to take responsibility and hold its director liable for the 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 said.
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.
“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.
“Thus, such a cancerous attitude needs to be removed immediately for the sake of our state,” she stressed. – The Vibes, March 1, 2023
