Penang water company says repairs at 70pc completion, plans to start stage one of turning WTP back on tomorrow morning (VIDEO)

SEBERANG PERAI, Jan 10 — One of two leaking valves measuring 1.2 metres long at the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (WTP) here has been replaced just hours after its shutdown that turned off the taps to 85 per cent of piped water supply to Penang.

Advertisement

Work to replace the second valve is currently 30 per cent complete at the time of writing, Penang Water Supply Corporation’s (PBAPP) chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan said this afternoon.

“Work is progressing as planned and we are scrambling to complete all works as scheduled, by 6am tomorrow morning,” he said in a noon press conference at the WTP here.

Advertisement

He said the repair and upgrading work on 22 other sites across Penang are now at 70 per cent completion.

He said PBAPP is planning to initiate stage one of water supply recovery works as planned, which is from 6.01am tomorrow.

He said water supply resumption will be in stages as mentioned in which some areas in Seberang Perai Utara and Seberang Perai Tengah may get supply after 6am on Friday.

Advertisement

Other areas, including parts of the island, will get water supply resumption after 6am on Saturday.

The end-of-line and higher ground areas in the southwest district of the island will get water supply after 6am on Sunday.

Pathmanathan said the water company also had to deal with the underwater pipeline in Sungai Perai as the clamp that was installed last month was dislodged early this morning.

“When PBAPP shut off water supply this morning, the drop in water pressure dislodged the clamp that we installed on a leaking section of the 1.35m underwater pipe in December last year,” he said.

He said this was anticipated to happen and they have deployed a team of 16 commercial divers to install two more clamps to secure the pipe.

He said currently, the works at Sungai Perai are at 50 per cent completion and PBAPP hopes to complete it by 6am tomorrow.

He said aim for the new strengthening measures for the underwater pipes to last five to eight months pending the installation of an on-ground “S bend” pipe.

He said the installation of the “S bend” pipe will take between five to eight months as they will still need the necessary approvals.

He added that all updates on Sungai Perai and the ongoing works at the WTP will be updated on the PBAPP’s Facebook page.

“PBAPP will work through the night and the early hours of the morning as necessary, let us get the jobs done right and on time,” he said.