SEE NO WHITE PATCHES: A basin of water with diesel patches on the top.
MIRI: Water supplied by Laku Management Sdn Bhd (Laku) to households here after the shutdown scare on Sunday has been tested negative of diesel.
Water samples taken from several areas in the city such as the water intake, Miri Hospital, Saberkas area and in Lutong, have been sent for test to the Chemistry Department in Petaling Jaya on March 7 after consumers complained of diesel smell in the water.
Laku chief executive officer, Wong Tiong Kai, told a press conference yesterday that the test showed that there was no trace of diesel in the water.
Wong said Laku had received seven complaints of smell in the water on March 5 and upon investigation some samples indeed had abnormal smell and actions were taken to flush the pipelines.
“Arrangements were also made to send water samples for analysis. Unfortunately there is no laboratory in Miri that can analyse the water sample to the standards stated in the Malaysian Drinking Water Quality Standards.
“We managed to get help from Petaling Jaya Chemistry Department and we flew our officer there with the samples,” he said.
When asked about the abnormal smell in the water, Wong said he was also puzzled how the water got the smell.
He urged customers who have problems with their water to contact Laku to enable a thorough investigation to be carried out.
“Laku is a victim of this unfortunate oil spill incident. However, we have taken all the necessary measures to prevent contaminated getting into the water supply system.”
He said that there were still people out there spreading rumours that Laku was going to shut down the water treatment plant.