Three-Phase Programme To Address Water Supply Issues Holistically: Premier

KUCHING / 18/10/2022

KUCHING, Tues:  An initial funding of RM4 billion had been allocated for the implementation of the first phase of the State Water Grid project as part of the three-phase programme to make water accessible to all the people state-wide, the Premier of Sarawak, Datuk Patinggi Abang Haji Zohari Tun Openg said today.

To address issues of supply holistically and systematically, the Sarawak Government has introduced the Water Supply Grid System spanning across the whole State of Sarawak, he pointed out.

He said these when delivering a keynote address during the official opening of the Borneo International Water and Wastewater Exhibition and Conference (BIWWEC) 2022 at a leading hotel, here. 

He said the first phase started in 2018 for the purpose of providing reliable, sustainable and resilient water supply to address the short term issues that was scheduled to be in place by 2025.

Stressing that the funding was from the state’s own coffer, he said the second and third phases are designed to address the state’s medium term and long term demands towards the year 2070.

“Meanwhile, the state is also implementing the Sarawak Alternative Water Supply Programme or SAWAS to serve isolated communities with standalone treated water supply systems, which otherwise would take years to have access to clean water. 

“The implementation of SAWAS is one of the  initiatives towards achieving 100 % water supply coverage by 2025 in Sarawak,” he told the Conference  participants. 

Speaking to reporters in a Press Conference later, he said a single water management body would have to be formed soon to implement and managed the water grid programme as water supply currently were being administered by different bodies across the State.

He further said an ordinance had to be enacted to provide the legal framework before the single management body could be formed like any other statutory bodies. 

Earlier, the organising chairman Ir. Chang Kuet Shian also spoke.

Also present were Deputy Chief Minister, Dato Sri Professor Dr. Sim Kui Hian,  Minister of Transport, Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin, Minister of Utilities and Telecommunication, Datuk Julaihi Haji Narawi and Deputy Ministers.

Sumber dari : Sarawakku