Sarawak plans 20 new water treatment plants to enhance state’s water supply

KUCHING (Oct 23): Sarawak is planning to boost its water supply infrastructure with the addition of 20 new water treatment plants, said Minister of Utility and Telecommunication Dato Sri Julaihi Narawi.

Speaking at the Borneo International Water and Wastewater Exhibition and Conference (BIWWEC) 2024, held at the Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) today, Julaihi shared that the initiative forms part of the Sarawak Water Supply Master Plan, which aims to meet the rising demand for clean water across the state.

“We have 20 more water treatment plants in the planning stages, either through new facilities or upgrading existing ones, as outlined in the Sarawak Master Plan.

“Hopefully, these developments will boost overall production capacity in the near future and contribute to Sarawak’s long-term water grid system,” he said in his keynote address titled ‘Towards Full Water Coverage and a Sustainable Water Supply System in Sarawak’.

Sarawak’s current water supply coverage stands at 85.4 per cent, with rural areas falling behind at 70.5 per cent, Julaihi revealed, stressing that the state government is continuing to prioritise on improving water supply in rural areas, aiming for significant progress in coverage.

He said the Sarawak Water Supply Master Plan, alongside the Sarawak Water Grid System, outlines the state’s water development goals through short-term up to 2025, medium-term up to 2040, and long-term strategies through 2070.

“This Master Plan focuses on three strategic thrusts: water demand, water treatment and distribution, and the quality and adequacy of both raw and treated water,” he said, adding that the Sarawak Water Supply Grid and the Sarawak Alternative Water Supply (Sawas) will play key roles in improving water access, particularly in rural areas.

Julaihi said Sarawak currently operates over 100 water treatment plants, with plans to decommission smaller plants and repurpose them as booster stations, while major plants will undergo upgrades and expansions to meet future demand.

As an example, Julaihi cited the recent upgrade of the Batu Kitang water treatment plant under the Kuching Water Board, which increased its capacity from 764 to 868 million liters per day.

He said this upgrade improved the reserve margin from 5 per cent to 12 per cent, with plans to further increase capacity to 968 million liters per day within the next two years.

Julaihi emphasised that both the Sarawak Water Supply Grid and Sawas are holistic, long-term solutions aimed at sustainably developing raw and treated water facilities to ensure that all rural households have access to clean water, particularly where extending the water grid is not feasible.

“Achieving full water coverage, however, comes at a steep cost.

“We estimate that RM20 billion is needed to connect water supply to all areas in Sarawak. It’s a large sum, but necessary,” Julaihi said.

“So far, the Sarawak government has approved RM4 billion under Projek Rakyat to ensure that stressed areas receive water. This project is nearly complete, and in addition, we are now implementing projects under the 12th Malaysia Plan,” he said.

Julaihi also appealed for greater federal funding to support Sarawak’s efforts, particularly in providing treated water to rural communities.