KUCHING: While water supply coverage in the urban area is reaching 100 per cent, coverage in the rural area is only at about 61 per cent.
This was revealed by Minister of Rural Electricity and Water Supply Dato Sri Dr Stephen Rundi Utom when delivering his winding-up speech during the State Legislative Assembly sitting here yesterday.
“Hence, there is an utmost urgency in expediting the provision of water supply to the remaining 39 per cent of the rural populace.
“This represents an estimated 114,000 households which are still without treated water supply so as to uplift their living standards and livelihood,” he said.
He added that one of the major thrusts of his ministry is to expedite the implementation of the Sarawak Alternative Rural Water Supply (SAWAS) Programme to enable more rural areas to be provided with safe water.
“This SAWAS programme will be implemented by the Rural Water Supply Department (JBALB) in collaboration with the Minerals and Geoscience Department and the Health Department through its Clean Water and Environment Cleanliness (BAKAS) unit,” he said.
