Kuching can expect to see more improvement in its water supply system in the near future.
During a recent online interview with Kuching Water Board (KWB), its General Manager, Puan Rodziah binti Mohamad talked about its ongoing project this year as well as what they have in line for KWB three-year plan (2022-2024).
Ongoing projects in 2021
To ensure KWB meet the demand and expectation of the growing population of Kuching, the agency is currently embarking on increasing several of its water storage capacity.
One of it is to increase the storage capacity of Matang Water Treatment Plant to 100 MLD (millions litres per day).
It is anticipated that the project will complete by the end of 2022 or early 2023.
Aside from that, KWB is also in the midst of upgrading Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant No.2 from 96 MLD to 200 MLD which is expected to complete by end of 2023.
KWB is also undertaking rehabilitating and upgrading works on the existing network system by tackling frequently leaking pipes by replacing it with a new system.
“Another thing that KWB is looking into is the non-revenue water (NRW) management,” said Puan Rodziah adding that they are dealing with issues such as pipe burst or frequent leaking to tackle the issue.
NRW is defined as water that has been produced and is “lost” before it reaches the customer.
According to her, the Ministry of Utilities has set the NRW level to be at 25 per cent by 2030, but as of now, the NRW is still quite high at 39 per cent.
NRW is contributed not only due to physical losses such as leakages on service connection but also due several components such as apparent losses, commercial losses, unbilled metered consumption and also unbilled unmetered consumption.
Smart Automated Metering Project
Apart from this, Puan Rodziah also noted KWB is embarking on a pilot project of Smart Automated Meter for the Darul Hana housing project.
While she cannot confirm on the exact date for the project to start, she said the project is to be carried out under the 12th Malaysian Plan due to approval from the State through Ministry of Utilities.
Initiated in 2017, the Darul Hana housing development project aims to relocate villagers from 13 villages in Seberang Hilir to make way for further Greater Kuching City development.
The Darul Hana Housing development will be the first in Sarawak to implement the smart township concept, complete with 5G and high-speed Internet facilities.
As the first Smart Township in Sarawak, each home would be equipped with Smart Metering system for their utilities including electricity and water, which is accessible through their smartphones online.
With the aim of modernization, Puan Rodziah said that the pilot project is looking into equipping about 500 households with the automated system.
In line with the State government’s initiative to develop a smart city with digital infrastructure, she added that it can reduce the use of manpower, human-error as well as ensuring consumers to receive their monthly bills timely.
“We hope to not receive complaints of consumers not receiving their bills upon the implementation of this system in the future,” said Puan Rodziah.
KWB Three-Year Planning (2022-2024)
From the year 2022 to 2024, KWB has put in place several projects to meet the escalating water demand from Kuching city as well as several nearby JBALB areas.
One of the plans includes upgrading the production of Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant No.4 Module 7 from 100 MLD to 200 MLD.
The construction of existing Module 7 commenced in June 2002 and was commissioned on 9th August 2006.
The upgrading will cater for the future demand from the southern Kuching city.
Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant production is 99 per cent of the total water production for Kuching City, with the 1 per cent contributed by Matang Water Treatment Plant.
To date, KWB is supplying water to about 186, 000 households in Kuching within the statuary boundary of 730 km2 excluding those under JBALB jurisdiction.
According to KWB, the upgrading of Module 7 Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant will be implemented in early 2022 within the completion period of 24 months to increase supply while another project that the public can expect to also commence in 2022 is the construction of 400 MLD Treatment Plant No.5 at Landeh and 300 MLD reservoir at Bukit Sepaya.
The new plant and storage facility will thrust KWB into playing an anchor role in Sarawak’s southern regional water supply grid.
Apart from purveying water supply to Kuching outer ring such as Bako, Samarahan and Asajaya, it will also supply more water to Serian and Puncak Borneo.
The project is said to take three years to complete.
Also in 2022, KWB will embark involving the laying of 800 mm mild steel cement lining (MSCL) pipeline along Jalan Datuk Merican Salleh as well as the construction of a 4.5 ML elevated reservoir at Darul Hana.
The project which is expected to complete in 2023 will ensure water supply for Darul Hana Development Scheme.
