Penang water company turns on taps for almost 200,000 consumers today

GEORGE TOWN, Jan 11 — About 197,025 consumers in Penang woke up to normalised water supply today, within 24 hours after the start of the scheduled water supply interruption (SWSI).

Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) commenced with stage one water supply recovery from 11pm last night after completing major valve replacement works and 22 other water works in the state.

Penang Water Supply Corporation’s (PBAPP) chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan said the water supply is now being gradually normalised today for 197,025 consumers in Seberang Perai or 33 per cent of the 590,000 affected consumers.

“Stage one should be completed by 6am tomorrow (Friday), as scheduled,” he said.

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However, the repair works on the underwater pipeline in Sungai Perai are still ongoing, he said.

“Stage One is not affected by the mishap at Sungai Perai because the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (WTP) is pumping water to Stage One recovery consumers via other major pipelines,” he said.

Stage One consumers include some areas in Seberang Perai and parts of George Town on the island.

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A brief check by Malay Mail showed water supply has already resumed for some areas in George Town early this morning.

Pathmanathan said the emergency response repair work at Sungai Perai was delayed due to a technical issue.

“One of the clamps which was custom fabricated to be placed over a 1.35m long hole on the pipeline could not be fitted properly,” he said in a statement today.

He said dive operations were postponed.

“A heavy crane was brought in and deployed to lift that ill-fitting clamp for on-site modification,” he said, adding that this is the quickest engineering solution with the lowest risk of a long delay.

He said the commercial dive team is scheduled to lock the modified clamp in place on the damaged pipeline today.

Pathmanathan said another 298,040 consumers in Seberang Perai and the island under stage two of the water recovery plan will receive water supply as planned by 6am tomorrow.

“The success of Stage two, as scheduled, is dependent on the re-commissioning of the damaged section of the Sungai Perai underwater pipeline,” he said.

He said there are two 1.35m diameter pipelines that channel water from the Sungai Dua WTP to three sets of twin submarine pipelines that cross the sea to Penang Island.

“The damaged section at Sungai Perai is a section of one of these 1.35m diameter pipelines,” he explained.

He said both pipelines have to function properly for PBAPP to pump enough water to Penang Island.

“As such, PBAPP is pushing hard for the completion of the Sungai Perai emergency repair works today,” he said.

He said PBAPP will continue to provide updates on the progress of work.