By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 24: Kuching Water Board (KWB) has urged Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) contractors to take full responsibility for repeated pipeline damages within five days that have disrupted water supply and caused low pressure in parts of Samarahan, including Tabuan Jaya and surrounding neighbourhoods.
In a press statement today, KWB revealed that the most recent incident occurred on July 22, involving a burst 12-inch asbestos cement (AC) main pipeline near the traffic lights at Jalan Wan Alwi. This follows an earlier incident on July 18, when a 200mm ductile iron (DI) main was damaged at Desa Ilmu, Jalan Datuk Mohammad Musa.
KWB expressed deep concern over the recurrence of such incidents, saying they reflect a serious lack of vigilance, coordination, and on-site supervision despite repeated warnings issued to KUTS contractors.
“KWB has repeatedly cautioned KUTS contractors to exercise extreme care when carrying out excavation or construction near existing water infrastructure,” the statement read.
The water authority stressed that negligent excavation not only damages vital public utilities but also imposes unnecessary hardship on thousands of residents.
As such, KWB strongly urged the KUTS project proponent and its contractors to implement stricter safety and damage prevention measures during underground works.
KWB also thanked the public for their patience and understanding as restoration works continue, adding that it remains committed to minimising disruptions and ensuring the continued reliability of the water supply system. — DayakDaily
