KUALA LUMPUR – Intermittent water woes in the capital city have undoubtedly infuriated local residents, especially when they occur during or close to major celebrations.
This has been the case for Bangsar residents, who, just yesterday, had faced an unscheduled water disruption as local utility company Air Selangor worked towards replacing old underground water pipes in the area, which affected several adjacent neighbourhoods.
According to an update on Air Selangor’s app at 9.44am yesterday, the affected areas are Taman Lucky, Jalan Cenderai, Jalan Taban, part of Jalan Maarof, part of Lorong Maarof, Jalan Limau Manis, Jalan Limau Nipis, Jalan Limau Kasturi, and Lorong Maarof 1.
However, several residents have confirmed to The Vibes that water supply has been restored since last night, while some areas have their supplies restored early this morning.
While local residents are grateful that water supply has resumed, some remain concerned, as Bangsar has faced intermittent water issues since late last year.
“We are thankful that Air Selangor has always informed us in advance and helped us by sending water trucks to the neighbourhood.
“But this has been occuring more frequently in the past couple of months, especially since Deepavali of last year.
“It is becoming tiresome and extremely concerning on whether this would be the norm,” said a Bangsar resident who does not wish to be named.
Several areas in Bangsar had faced another series of disruption last January 1.
This has been a recurring issue not just in the affluent neighbourhood but towards the city and even the Klang Valley at large.
Similarly, Lucky Garden Resident Association president Sarikha Kandasamy also confirmed to The Vibes that water supply in the area has been restored.
However, she reiterated that water supply issues are indicative of a larger issue pertaining to town planning and the overall capacity of water treatment plants being able to serve residents of the Klang Valley.
“It is understandable that residents will be furious each time water cuts happen. But the larger picture is that there is rapid development in Bangsar and throughout the Klang Valley.
“While water utility companies are tasked with providing clean water, they are not the body that gives clearance for development projects for high-rise residential units, which add thousands of more homes to supply water to.
“So, town planning is also an essential component in this issue, as they need to assess whether utility services can actually meet the demands,” she said.
For context, Air Selangor is the largest water supply provider in the country, providing clean and treated water to 8.4 million consumers in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Putrajaya.
Sarikha added that there needs to be a holistic approach in dealing with supply issues, which includes input not just from end users but all major stakeholders. – The Vibes, January 21, 2023
