By Alexandra Lorna & Tania Matu
KUCHING: Sarawak recorded an overall water supply coverage of 83.7 per cent as at second quarter of 2022, said Minister for Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Julaihi Narawi.
He said the rural water supply coverage was at 67.2 per cent and 99 per cent coverage for urban areas.
“The Sarawak government is working towards achieving full coverage of clean water for the whole of Sarawak.
“The government has implemented various programmes in order to achieve this goal, which includes the State Water Grid enhancement that addresses water-stressed areas while increasing water supply coverage and off-grid Sarawak Alternative Water Supply (SAWAS) programme for inaccessible remote rural areas,” he said.
He was speaking at the closing ceremony of Borneo International Water and Wastewater Exhibition and Conference 2022 at Imperial Hotel on Wednesday.
Julaihi said for wastewater management, Sarawak was implementing a number of centralised wastewater management systems for the major cities and towns in the state.
“Water is an essential necessity needed for our daily consumptions, agriculture and aquaculture, industrial and commercial uses and it is important that we work continuously to achieving efficiency in our water resource management,” he added.
Meanwhile, on the conference, Julaihi said it had provided opportunities for open and engaging discussions with water professionals, experts, industry players, policy makers and regulators covering various aspects, outside and within Sarawak, to develop solutions towards achieving resilience in water supply system and sustainability in management of water resources.
“And through the conference, it has also brought forth new innovations and technologies, where their applications could become enablers for economic growth that will benefit Sarawak and eventually the population through increased per capita income.
“I hope with the new and innovative technologies, we can improve our delivery of water supply, especially on our raw water intake. This is crucial for the future of our water industry,” he said.
