JBALB to visit Kampung Pa Ukat in Bario over water supply issues

MIRI (Feb 9): The Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) will conduct a site visit to Kampung Pa Ukat in  Bario to assess the actual situation concerning clean water supply issues in the area.

Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala said representatives from the department are scheduled to visit the village on Tuesday, following discussions held during a meeting he chaired here on Monday.

“This meeting focused on several long-standing and critical issues affecting local communities, including water supply problems in Kampung Pa Ukat, Bario; the extension of water supply to Kampung Baru Bario, which currently relies entirely on a gravity-fed system; and water supply issues at the Sarawak Alternative Water Supply (Sawas)  plant in Long Lio Mato,” he said in a statement.

At the same meeting, Gerawat, who is also the Mulu assemblyman, said issues related to Sawas water supply in the Seridan area, applications to upgrade the water supply system in Long Banga, as well as problems involving the contractor responsible for maintaining the Bario water treatment plant were also discussed.

“These issues have a direct impact on the daily lives of the affected residents,” he said, adding that the prolonged water supply problem in Poyut, Lubok Nibong, Marudi, was also raised.

Gerawat stressed that JBALB must take the matter seriously, as the water supply situation in several areas has become increasingly critical and is affecting the people’s quality of life.

On the water supply issue in Lio Mato, he said JBALB informed the meeting that a site visit had been carried out in August last year, and that the department’s management had proposed for the Lio Mato Sawas plant to be maintained under the Sawas operational budget, which is still awaiting finalisation.

“For the Sawas water supply issue in Seridan, JBALB will consider the construction of a new intake. As a short-term measure, JBALB Miri has applied for the supply of polyethylene pipes to enable connection to a gravity-fed source,” he said.

Meanwhile, for the proposed repairs to the water supply system in Long Banga, Gerawat said JBALB Miri has received the project approval memo and will submit an application for repair costs under the Sawas operational allocation.

Touching on contractor-related issues in Bario, he said JBALB has contacted the contractor concerned and emphasised the need for more effective maintenance services in the interest of the affected residents.

“I will continue to monitor developments closely and ensure that all relevant agencies take immediate and effective action, as clean water supply is a basic necessity and must not be compromised,” he said.