38 longhouses in Dudong to get water tanks as taps ‘exists in name only’, says SRDC deputy chairman

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Tuai Rumah Edwin Bana posing for the camera with the water tanks for his longhouse.

SIBU (Jan 21): A total of 631 water tanks worth RM631,000 are finally being distributed to 38 longhouses in Dudong state constituency, whose water taps have been blighted by low pressure.

Sibu Rural District Council (SRDC) deputy chairman Wong Ching Yong said the distribution of the tanks started two days ago under the supervision of the Utilities MInistry Permanent Secretary, Dato Alice Jawan.

He said on July 28 last year he had joined 15 Tuai Rumah or headmen from over 40 longhouses along Mile 10 to 16 of KJD Road on a visit to the Department of Rural Water Supply (JBALB) in Sarikei.

The Sarawak United People’s Party Dudong branch chairman said the villages had suffered miserably from water shortages caused by the extremely low water pressure.

“They also did not have water tanks. They applied to the office of Sibu Resident for them but were told that they were not qualified because their longhouses were installed with tap water pipes.

“This appeared to be the policy of the Resident offices in Sarawak for the application for water tanks in longhouses,” he said.

He said the headmen complained that their biggest problem was that due to low water pressure, they virtually had no water supply for days or even weeks.

“Even though their longhouses were installed with water pipes, there was no water supply to their longhouses due to low water pressure. The installation of tap water pipes in their longhouses exists in name only.

“Therefore, they needed water tanks so that they could stock up enough water for cooking, washing, drinking and bathing,” he said.

Wong went on to note that even though JBALB could transport the water to their long houses, there were no water tanks to store the water.

“They could not rely on the river as a source of water supply because the rivers are polluted by the fertilisers and chemicals from the surrounding palm oil plantations,” Wong said.

He revealed that after the dialogue, the JBALB Sarikei had supplied water to the longhouses as an emergency plan to bring relief to the people.

In Christmas last year, upon his request, Hock Seng Lee Bhd had also supplied 50,000 litres of water to 20 plus longhouses situated along KJD Road.

Wong said in the long term, new pumping main pipes will be laid, and a booster pump station and reservoir would be constructed along the KJD Road to provide water to the people.

“Once they are completed, the problem of low water pressure experienced by these long houses will be solved,” he said, appealing to the people for their patience.