By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Dec 15: The Federal Ministry of Energy Transition and Water Transformation (Petra) will implement critical pipe replacements and comprehensive non-revenue water (NRW) solutions across six states, including Sarawak.
Deputy Prime Minister Dato Sri Fadillah Yusof, who also serves as the Petra Minister, emphasised the ongoing challenge of ensuring a consistent supply of clean water for both consumers and industries, with NRW being a major issue.
To address this, the federal government has introduced two key approaches: providing grants to replace outdated, leaking pipes in states with high NRW levels, and offering a matching grant scheme to reimburse 50 percent of expenses for states that successfully reduce NRW.
“Sarawak, along with Sabah, Kelantan, [Pahang, Perlis, and the Federal Territory of Labuan], is classified under the first category and will receive grants to replace old pipes that have been in use for over 50 years.
“These aging pipes contribute to significant water loss due to leakages and illegal connections,” he said during the Petra media night at Riverside Majestic Hotel here tonight.
Fadillah, who is also the Petra Jaya MP, further revealed that the Federal government is providing loans for sewage treatment projects.
In Sarawak, these initiatives have had a significant impact, particularly in Kuching, where major piping upgrades have been carried out as part of ongoing sewage treatment efforts.
“The third phase of this project will include parts of Kuching North and Kuching South, along with other areas,” he noted. – DayakDaily
