GUA MUSANG: Water supply to 1,300 households has been disrupted after state water utility Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd (AKSB) shut the Paloh treatment plant due to pollution in a river that feeds the facility.
In a statement on Facebook, AKSB said pollution from a palm oil factory was detected earlier this week.
"The operation of the Paloh water treatment plant has been temporary closed since 8am on May 17 as the river water resources polluted at the plant's intake.
"It has affected our customers in Paloh 1,2,3 and the surrounding areas. The cleaning work will take some time as the water level of the river is shrinking," said the posting.
Galas assemblyman Mohd Syahbuddin Hashim said he was waiting for a report about the incident.
"I am aware about this issue and will comment further after receiving the full report from factory," he said when contacted.
The shutdown of the plant comes as the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating 10 failed tube well projects run by AKSB.
Four people have been arrested in the probe into the failed RM300 million project meant to feed water treatment plants.
Villagers hit by the latest water supply disruption are disappointed and voiced their unhappiness with the state utility's services.
Civil servant Zuraida Mohd Ghazali said AKSB should find an immediate solution to this problem.
"How can we continue with our lives with no water supply? It has been more than 24 hours now and it has been affected us badly.
"AKSB should take this problem seriously as many of the villagers rely on the company for water.
"Only 10 per cent of us have wells. Others, including schools, are get water from AKSB," said the 51-year-old when contacted.
Paloh state seat secretary Amran Ab Ghani told the NST that AKSB had sent water tanker to affected villages, but the water was not enough.
"We hope that work to clean the river will be done soon and the state government take this problem seriously. "