The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) said 200,000 water consumers in the state may face water cutoff after the Perai Riverbed pipeline bursts again.
This is the fourth time the pipe has burst since last month. In a Facebook post, the national water company said it was trying to pump treated water through the pipeline “slowly” because of the incident. “This exercise may lead to the interruption of water supply to about 200,000 consumers in the southwest area of Penang Island and some areas of Seberang Peri.
“PBAPP has updated its emergency response plan. We will issue an update accordingly,” the water company said, without elaborating.
The fire is bringing water from the Sungai Dua sewage treatment plant to many parts of Seberang Peri Utara and the entire South West region. The pipes were buried 3.5m deep and laid in 1997 by the Penang Water Authority before PBAPP took over.
The pipeline burst for the first time on December 18, again on January 10 and for the third time during major valve repair work on January 11. The Penang government and the National Water Corporation have started a major boat project that is expected to be completed next month.
Chief Executive Chow Kon Yeow said the diversion would require a temporary water cut for some 120,000 workers in the southwestern region.
