GEORGE TOWN: The normalisation of water supply in Seberang Prai has been rescheduled to noon tomorrow from 10pm tonight.
This follows a burst pipe during the connection and commissioning of a new 180 metre-long section of a pipeline measuring 1.2 metre in diametre, near the Politeknik Permatang Pauh campus.
Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer Datuk K. Pathmanathan said PBAPP was working to repair the major 1.2m pipeline section at Jalan Pengkalan Tambang near the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (WTP) tonight and into the early hours of tomorrow morning.
"The pipeline section in Seberang Prai Utara (SPU) was found to be leaking near a major valve fitting.
"It burst when PBAPP personnel strived to minimise leaking by tightening the bolts at the fitting at 8pm today.
"This burst pipeline section is part of the 1.2m treated water pipeline leading towards the new pipeline section that was connected in front of the Politeknik Permatang Pauh in Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) today.
"As such, PBAPP may not pump water from the Sungai Dua WTP to Permatang Pauh without fixing the burst Jalan Pengkalan Tambang pipeline section. Emergency repair works are underway," he said tonight.
Pathmanathan said, due to this mishap, PBAPP was rescheduling the normalisation of water supply services for 118,000 consumers in SPT and Seberang Prai Selatan (SPS) to noon tomorrow.
"PBAPP apologises for all inconveniences caused.
"We seek the kind understanding of all affected consumers," he added.
PBAPP said it would provide updates on the progress of work on the PBAPP Facebook page.
It was reported earlier today that water supply for 118,000 consumers in SPT and SPS was on track to be normalised by 10pm tonight.