BUKIT MERTAJAM: The Penang government will ensure all goes well during the water supply disruption scheduled from Jan 10-14.
A total of 590,000 water consumers are set to be affected by the disruption due to two major valve replacement works in Sungai Dua, Butterworth.
Speaking to newsmen at the Juru Volunteer Fire Brigade premises here today, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow said the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) planned to succeed when carrying out the preventive maintenance exercise.
"It is already a very challenging task. Let us focus our attention and energy to make it a success. We plan to succeed and not fail. But if other things happen, depending on where and how it happens, then the necessary resources will have to be deployed. I cannot answer you (now).
"When the system resumes in certain localities, some pipes will burst definitely. Smaller pipes will burst because the (water) pressure suddenly comes. Some areas will demand water supply and when you increase the pressure, that is when the pipes will burst.
"So, this is another reason why it has to be done according to engineering (expertise). It has to go step by step. If you say pump more water to certain areas because the complaints are the loudest, but once you do that, the pipes will burst and you are inviting more 'fire fighting' effort.
"It will burst definitely, some pipe will burst. Hopefully, that type of job can be completed in two hours or so," he said.
Chow was asked about concerns raised by netizens, who feared that the water supply disruption would last longer than the scheduled dates following a similar incident recently.
A burst 1,350mm-long pipeline lying on the riverbed of Sungai Prai on Dec 19 left about 120,000 affected consumers without water, some for up to a week.
Since then, spooked netizens took to social media to voice their concerns that a similar incident might happen again next week.
Chow said detailed preparations have been made to face the water supply disruption this time around.
He said 10 units of jumbo water tankers with a 20,000 to 30,000-litre capacity each would be deployed to cope with the water supply disruption that is expected to affect 85 per cent of Penang.
"The water tankers will take water from several locations unaffected by the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (WTP) shutdown such as Balik Pulau, Tok Alang in Bukit Mertajam, Teluk Bahang and Air Itam. It will then go to fixed locations so that other water tankers such as the volunteer fire brigades will be able to fill their tankers from these lorries.
"This will shorten the time for the water tankers that will be going around in each neighbourhood to distribute water to affected consumers," he added, noting that there would be 35 units of water tankers by the volunteer fire brigades that would go around the whole state to bring water to the people.
Both Penang Island and Seberang Prai City Councils will also be providing their water tankers during that period. PBAPP will also be providing eight water tanks for hospitals and dialysis centres.
It was reported that about 33 per cent of the 590,000 water consumers set to be affected by the water supply disruption on Jan 10 are expected to get their water supply within 48 hours.
The 197,025 affected consumers are in most key areas in the Seberang Prai Utara and Seberang Prai Tengah districts.
About 84 per cent or 495,965 affected consumers are expected to get water supply in 72 hours.
They are in most key areas in the northeast district and southwest district on the island, which include George Town, Bayan Baru, the Bayan Lepas free trade zone (FTZ) and Penang International Airport (PIA), as well as the Seberang Prai Tengah and Seberang Prai Selatan districts.