Water Works VS Residents As Taps Dry Up For A Day By Za'im Zaini

Bandar Seri Begawan - Frustrations ran high as residents in Kg Anggerek Desa, Kg Burong Pinggai, Airport Lama Flat, Bolkiah Garrison, Kg Pulaie, Kg Orang kaya Besar Imas, Kg Sungai Tilong, Kg Sg Hancing and Kg Salambigar were out of water since sunrise yesterday and cannot conduct their daily chores and activities without water.

The water shutdown was only felt by residents in these affected areas in the early morning.

One angry resident, Mohammad, a 32-year-old foreign national, who resides in KgAnggerek Desa told the Bulletin, "I haven't taken a bath since this morning and it has been difficult for me to cook or even to do other things which require water." While a 33-year-old Mohd Remy Bin Haji Hasir from Kg Burong Pingai who was upset by the situation said, "They should have informed us on the water shutdown as I did not manage to save or store any water. I have to buy one box of bottled water and have my lunch outside. It is difficult."

A resident from Kg Sg Akar, 23-year-old Mohd Zainul Ariffin, said he had no knowledge of the water cut off and he was upset too. However, 28-year-old HjlrSuriani binti Haji Mahmud from Kg Pulaie said she knew about the water cut off but said the announcement came too early and she forgot about the matter.

Meanwhile, the Bulletin reporter made -a visit to an affected site in KgAnggerek Desa. The Engineer in Charge at the site, Lim Ann Seng told the Bulletin, "There are two sites where repair works are being carried out, involving 24 people trying to fix the 750m pipe that supplies water to the reservoir, which supplies water to the affected areas.

"The repair works have been going on since 2am on Wednesday morning. "This water cut off is planned as we have announced it to the public a day before the start of the repair works and as a standard procedure, we try to inform the public on the matter before work on the pipe begins in order to give the public a chance to store water for the day."

He said the water pipe at Kg Anggerek Desa has to be replaced as it has been there since 1976 and within the last three years it had leaked or burst several times. He said the water shutdown was meant to facilitate the work of laying a new pipe, a ductile iron pipe at the sites.

Also present at the site to oversee the repair work was the Acting Director of Water Services. It is expected that by press time the supply of water to the affected areas will be restored.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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