(Petaling Jaya, Tuesday): I will meet the Works Minister, Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu on Thursday on the water shortage crisis in the Klang Valley. Together at the meeting will be other DAP MPs and Selangor Assembly members.
The people in Kuala Lumpur and in Selangor affected by the water shortage crisis are up in arms at the failure of the government authorities to anticipate the drought and to make contingency plans to deal with the crisis, despite ample warnings in the past.
The water shortage due to the Sungai Langat, Cheras Batu 11 and Ampang treatment plants producing only 301 million litres of treated water a day (mld) or 43 per cent of their normal output, has led to water rationing last Friday for 207 areas in the Klang Valley, which would have water supply for 12 hours daily on alternate days between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m.
There is an urgent need for an efficient water rationing exercise for these 207 areas, as there are too many complaints that the announced schedules for the water supply for the areas whether in Zone A (which covers Kuala Lumpur and Petaling areas) or Zone B (Hulu Langat and Gombak areas) are not being adhered to.
Water distribution by tankers is another sore point among the people. The Selangor Mentri Besar, Datuk Hassan Omar, said that the Selangor Waterworks Department is working with only 47 water tankers and 170 static tanks, when it actually needs 1,300 tankers and 4,000 static tanks.
After chairing a top-level meeting at the City Hall headquarters yesterday to seek solutions to the water shortage crisis, the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that the number of tankers sent to the affected areas would be increased by more than 60 from the 70 already deployed.
This increase is clearly most inadequate and a greater sense of urgency is needed to address the water shortage crisis in the Klang Valley.
(31/3/98)