GEORGE TOWN: Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has taken proactive steps and made careful preparations to deal with the four-day scheduled water supply disruption from tomorrow since the first notification was issued by the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP).
USM vice-chancellor, Professor Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Rahman Mohamed, said they had also formed an On-Campus Water Crisis Management Committee and activated the operations room that is coordinated by the USM Nerve Centre.
He said one of the initiatives involved providing 200 pails and 800 cartons of mineral water to be distributed to campus residents, including family residences, students with disabilities and isolation rooms at the main campus and branch campuses involved.
"USM's preparations do not only ensure sufficient water supply for use on campus but also cover various other aspects, including taking into consideration the teaching and learning (P&P) process, services and daily administrative operations.
"We also make periodical announcements so that everyone on campus is aware of the current situation and takes appropriate steps to minimise and sustain water usage on campus," he said in a statement today (January 9).
Abdul Rahman said USM also provided eight additional tanks with a capacity of 500 gallons or 1,892 litres that are placed in critical areas within the main campus and a mobile tank for urgent needs.
He said USM also carried out online P&P classes, encouraged students to return to their hometowns and postponed all student association physical activities to minimise student presence on campus.
"Employees are also permitted to work from home, except the frontliners, throughout the water supply disruption period," he said.
Meanwhile, he said that besides the main campus in Gelugor, the USM Engineering campus in Nibong Tebal, which faces a similar situation, also received eight additional 500-gallon tanks and 32 tanks with a capacity of 120 litres that will be placed in several toilets in the student blocks.
"We are fully prepared, including drawing up contingency plans to face this crisis, which we hope will provide relief for the campus folk," he said.
According to him, the efforts were made collectively with the involvement of students through the USM Student Representative Council, which was also very proactive in getting various outside contributions to help their fellow students deal with this situation.
One of the initiatives included using underground water for the convenience of the congregation at the Al Malik Khalid Mosque for congregational prayers and as preparation for Friday prayers on January 12. — BERNAMA