Bring us an end to water cuts
THIS year, there have been unprecedented water disruptions attributed to a variety of reasons by our water supply company Syabas, causing much suffering to consumers.
Just recently, more than one million consumers in Selangor were given an unscheduled seventh water disruption in a year after contaminants from Sungai Buah in Nilai triggered alarm bells at the Sungai Semenyih Water Treatment plant in Dengkil and supply was ceased.
This was too much to bear for the many long-suffering consumers, especially in the USJ area.
Previous disruptions were also due to contaminants in Sungai Semenyih, burst pipes, drought and unscheduled repairs due to faulty old equipment.
Having mulled at length about the dire predicament we were in, I strongly urge the relevant authorities like SYABAS, LUAS, DOE, SPAN etc to devise, plan, and effectively implement feasible contingency plans to :
1. Deter water polluters immediately by bringing them to book. Ensure all affected paying clients receive on-schedule water supply from sufficient water tankers whenever there is a rude disruption
They should also work closely with all relevant authorities in the recently formed bi-partisan task-force and have a Command Centre to communicate effectively, with clients’ interests being paramount.
2. Apart from the normal SOPs, there should be thinkers and doers outside the box to envisage water contamination from outlying tributaries feeding into the main rivers. There should be constant monitoring of all their water sources. Indeed, they should have made such plans on such a precious commodity as safe water for consumption.
3. Secretly visit all the factories along, near our rivers, tributaries and water catchment areas to detect water pollution and immediately report all findings to the relevant authorities.
4. Meet the factory management/shareholders consistently for updates.
5. Have informative nightly stakeholders’ engagements with all consumers affected due to water pollution and educate us on what proactive steps you are taking to eradicate this matter.
6. Ensure sufficient water tankers during every water crisis even if it means renting more water trucks.
7. Open more telecommunication lines and ensure these are manned by competent personnel in Syabas.
Many of us are unable to get through to your hotline for much needed information.
8. Apppoint residents living along rivers, tributaries, supply routes, water catchment areas to report water pollution activities. Reward them for whistle-blowing.
9. Ensure that old pipes are checked and replaced regularly to prevent future water disruptions.
10. Increase daily collection of water samples to deter polluters and “water terrorists” from hurting us. Also deploy ample and trained “odour specialists” to detect pollution.
11. Have early and competent detection to give clients ample time prior to water cuts in future for water to be stored.
12. All roads, bypasses to waterways should be gated, guarded and secured 24/7 replete with CCTV cameras.
13. All factories along waterways should be scrutinised and audited for their waste disposal. Illegal factories should be made to stop operating and be prosecuted.
14. No factories producing toxic waste should ever be allowed to operate in the vicinity of waterways.
15. Give clients proper and accurate scheduling of water tanker schedules.
16. Review, brainstorm and report vast improvements on your current Emergency Response Plan (ERP).
17. Should it get contaminated again, have a prudent standby plan to divert water from the Semenyih Water Treatment plant into another reserve plant to cater for affected areas like Petaling and USJ.
18. Re-strategise your Water Quality Improvement Master Plan to improve the quality of water distributed to paying clients.
It is essential for Syabas to indulge in initiatives to preserve the environment for future sustainability - which includes avoidance of water pollution.
Please disseminate exactly the steps Syabas is taking to ensure water pollution never happens again.
There have been instances of the elderly and children falling sick due to water contamination - before and after water cuts - as the water in the immediate aftermath of resumption is dirty.
Many have had their Deepavali celebrations curtailed and open houses cancelled due to water disruption.
The task-force recently set up by the responsible parties concerned and mooted by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar and Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Azmin Ali is a first step on a long responsible bi-partisan journey.
Bouquets should also be given to the underlings at Syabas - the tanker drivers and assistants who had to bear the consumer wrath meant for their top management.
They ought to be applauded for working around the clock in helping to dispense water despite scarcity in truck provision.
There were also the unsung heroes and heroines in our community who assisted the deperate residents undergoing these frequent disruptions.
The likes of grassroots stalwarts in my USJ 12 area - Datuk Azman, Mr Raymond, Mr Bala, Mr Suaran, Mr Indy - just to name a few - were in the forefront of sterling community service in helping others whilst USJ was besieged by water woes.
These were the bright spots that have proven time and again, that the rakyat always come together in times of tragedy.
MARK SURESH
Subang Jaya
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