Delaying a marriage could be due to various reasons ranging from lack of funds, studies not completed or ‘collective decision’. Similarly, delaying a scheduled maintenance programme could be due to a number of reasons, ranging from needs of some stakeholders, boosting profit numbers or even ‘collective decision’, too. The last excuse is what we read in the mainstream news about the massive Klang Valley water disruption.

An opposition MP was not at all happy due to the festive season.

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has been blamed on why did it agree to a request to postpone the maintenance work till the festive season. If its customers were inconsiderate, why should TNB follow and why couldn’t TNB foresee such a possible urgent repair requirement?

The National Water Services Commission (Span) chairperson said it is indeed too near to Christmas and this situation should not be repeated in future and urged all parties to minimise the impact.

TNB had made known it wanted to carry out its work earlier, but the Selangor water companies disagreed and there was a ‘collective decision’ to push it towards the end of the year. A decision collectively made with, surprisingly, Span during a meeting on Oct 31. The new date was recommended by the water authorities.

The emergence of two hot spots required urgent action to prevent major damage to the equipment. TNB said, “There is a risk of losing the whole substation and it will take an even longer time to recover”. No more excuse for delays.

The issue here is why water supply would be disrupted for a period of six days when work at the substation will only take 16 hours. The Syabas website shows “Jaduakl bekalan air henti tugas loji untuk kerja penenggaraan TNB Disember 19-24”.

In the latest news, Span agreed to cut the scheduled water rationing from six to four days.

A few things come to mind. Whilst TNB has come up with detailed reasoning, Span and the water authorities have not. For a 16-hour maintenance job, why there is still a need for a four-day disruption and why there are no sufficient back-up generator capacity for the water treatment plants?

Good engineering practice requires provision of redundancy, ie a system design in which a component is duplicated, if it fails there will be a back-up. Redundancy has a negative connotation but for critical circumstances like water disruption to nearly 4 million people, it is a necessity.

I think there is no point pointing fingers now but let this be a lesson to all.

Hopefully, the respective parties could consider the following.

Span and water authorities

  • Be more transparent on why the need to have six or four days of water disruption when TNB required only 16 hours,
     
  • Let us know when was the agreed date for the delayed maintenance programme,
     
  • Be more sensitive of festive or even dry season when deciding on dates for future closures,
     
  • Be mindful of long-term implications when asking TNB to stretch the scheduled maintenance programme,
     
  • To plan and have sufficient redundancy.

TNB

  • Consider to supply power from more than one feeder,
     
  • There should be redundancy in TNB systems, too,
     
  • Improve stakeholder relationship.

Energy, green technology and water minister

  • To intervene as soon as possible when issues like this recur in future and save many parties from embarrassment and unnecessary defensive statements.

I guess Span has to take responsibility since its vision urges towards a sustainable, reliable and affordable water supply services for all and a mission to regulate the water services industry through fair, effective and transparent implementation of the Water Services Industry Act 2006 (Act 655).

We are now ‘effectively married’ to the water providers. When we delay in paying the bills, the supply gets cut. Now, when the supply is cut, will heads roll or should/can we ‘cut’ our marriage?

What say you...