‘All Sebuyau storage tanks and pipes may need to be replaced’

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Dato Sri Rohani Abdul Karim

Dato Sri Rohani Abdul Karim

KUCHING: All water storage tanks and pipes in Sebuyau may need to be replaced in the long term to ensure clean water supply.

Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Dato Sri Rohani Abdul Karim said Sebuyau and its neighbouring constituencies are facing problems with dirty drinking water.

“We have identified the rusty water storage tanks that cause the dirty drinking water to certain areas and we cannot use this as a source of water supply to Sebuyau. We have to send clean water physically to villages, especially in recent days,” she said when met at Head of State Tun Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud’s Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house yesterday.

“Many pipes need to be changed and also new sources of water supply need to be identified. There is no point to have clean sources of water but pipes and storage tanks are rusty.”

The Batang Lupar Member of Parliament explained that not only are the pipes very old, but the situation is further compounded by salt water intrusion which causes more corrosion in the pipes. Rohani pointed out that the project would need to be conducted in stages due to the large amount of funding required.

In the mean time the Public Works Department would physically supply clean water to those affected, she said.

“This is one of the big problems because we need to have water sources and the pipes installed to each and every home. This is a basic infrastructure problem and it needs to be tackled,” she stressed.

Rohani said she would work with Sebuyau assemblyman Datuk Julaihi Narawi and bring the matter to federal level. She also apologised to the affected constituents, adding she was glad they had brought the matter to the government instead of the opposition.

“It is our duty to bring the matter to the federal and state government and this is where the government must address such issues in greater detail,” she said.