Section 17 Water Woes

By Joey

Following several complaints by sec 17 residents over frequent water cuts, YB Edward Lee and YB Hee Loy Sian, PJS Member of Parliament, organised a second meeting between SYABAS and PUSPEL officers and community leaders from the Rukun Tetangga and Residents Associations on 17 Oct 2008. The meeting was held at the Bukit Gasing Service Centre.

According to SYABAS, the frequent water cuts are due to the bursting of old asbestos-cement water pipes, especially in older sections under PJ Selatan. For example, some homes may experience low water pressure due to old internal piping, which could be clogged by rust and scales. When residents complain of low pressure, SYABAS would attempt to remedy the situation by increasing water pressure. This fluctuation in pressure, in turn, could lead to certain external pipes bursting or breaking.

As this is a long-standing issue with no overnight solution, SYABAS is in the midst of implementing a few temporary measures. These include the installation of valve pipes to isolate damaged sections. With these valves, in the event of a burst pipe, only the segment affected needs to be turned off, instead of the whole area.

There is also the ongoing "Program Penggantian Paip-Paip Perhubungan" (replacement of communication pipes programme), with 700 pipes replaced to date. In sec 17, 7.1 km of main pipes are in need of replacement at a cost of RM30-35 million. This budget is awaiting approval from the SYABAS HQ and state. YB Lee and YB Hee will be following up with SYABAS and the state government to expedite the process.

Residents can also play their part by replacing their old internal piping to help regulate water pressure.

Do call Syabas' customer service at 1800-88-5252 should you require immediate assistance.