KUCHING: The second phase of upgrades at the Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant is expected to be completed by July this year.
According to Minister for Utility and Telecommunication, Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi, upon the completion of the second phase, the plant’s design capacity will increase from 780 million litres per day (MLD) to 884 MLD.
He mentioned that once the second phase is fully operational, the water treatment plant will be able to supply treated water to areas such as Kuching, Santubong, Petra Jaya, Asajaya, Sampadi, Rambungan and Demak Laut.
“The total cost for the second phase of upgrades is estimated at RM107mil. Additionally, we anticipate that the reserve margin for treated water will increase from eight per cent to 12 per cent,” he elaborated.
Julaihi noted that the ongoing upgrades at the water treatment plant are part of the continuous efforts to ensure an adequate supply of treated water to areas in Kuching.
“With this in mind, the Kuching Water Board (KWB) is actively exploring solutions to enhance the supply of treated water to meet the demand in critical areas,” he added.
He made these remarks during a site visit to the Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant on Thursday (March 28).
Presently, the Batu Kitang Water Treatment Plant has a production design capacity of 780 MLD.
On another note, the KWB network consists of 11 main reservoirs and approximately 3,000km of pipelines, supplying treated water to 198,643 active accounts in Kuching and nearby areas including Samarahan, Asajaya, Santubong and Bau.
Meanwhile, Julaihi revealed that the overall water supply coverage in Sarawak stands at 84 per cent.
“However, numerous water supply projects have been approved by the state government and are either already implemented or in progress. Some projects, like the Serian Water Treatment Plant Phase Two Upgrade, will take time but are underway.
“Our aim is to achieve full water coverage across Sarawak by the year 2030, and we are actively working towards this goal.”
