Penang water disruption: Supply to be fully restored today

Water supply in parts of Penang, which was disrupted due to a burst pipe on the riverbed of Sungai Perai, is expected to be fully restored before the day ends.

The disruption has affected 200,000 consumers since last Tuesday.

Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the recovery process has reached 97 percent this morning with the remaining 9,760 consumers in 11 areas in the Barat Daya district expected to get back their water supply late today.

"The recovery process took a little longer because consumers in areas where the water supply has been restored may be filling up their tanks causing those in the higher areas and at the end of the system to receive their water supply later,” he added.

He told this to reporters after officiating the ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of an additional building for the Kek Lok Si Welfare Hospital today.

A total of 200,000 consumers in the island's southwest district and Seberang Perai have been experiencing water supply disruption after a section of a pipe measuring 1.35m in circumference located at the bottom of Sungai Perai burst on Monday (Dec 18).

Bill discount

Regarding a suggestion by Gerakan for the affected water subscribers to be given a 50 percent discount on their water bills, Chow said the state government was prepared to consider the matter.

However, he said, it would not provide the solution to the water problem in Penang and expressed the need for cooperation with Perak on the issue of purchasing raw water.

The state government, he said, would hold a meeting with the Penang Water Supply Corporation to examine the weaknesses that need to be rectified to reduce the impact of the water supply disruption scheduled for four days next month.

"This unexpected event allows us to see the weaknesses and what we need to improve to minimise the impact in January," he added.

- Bernama

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