By Peter Sibon
KUCHING, Dec 17: Sarawak is seeking about RM400 million from the federal government next year to commence Package 3 of the Kuching Sewerage project, said Sewerage Services Department director Lau Hieng Ung.
He said areas to be covered under this phase included villages in Satok, Kampung Kudei and Sg Maong.
“If we are successful in our bidding for next year, then we can implement it by 2021 after we carry out the survey, design and tender process, which will take at least two years,” Lau told DayakDaily today.
He disclosed that he was among the delegation from Sarawak led by Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian, who made a courtesy call on Federal Minister of Water, Land and Natural Resources Dr Xavier Jayakumar recently, to bid for more funding for future undertakings for major towns and cities in the state.
According to Lau, his department was able to carry out the project concurrently with the current Package 2, which covers Petra Jaya.
Package 2 costs RM750 million. Work on the project is progressing well ahead of schedule. It is about 10 per cent completed since it started last year. It will be able to provide sewerage services to up to 40,000 population equivalent (PE) in Petra Jaya, covering areas such as Jalan Astana and Kampung Gita, once it is completed in 2023.
The current Package 2 is part of the Kuching Centralised Sewerage System, which commenced with the commissioning of a master plan in 2003 and later with the physical implementation of Phase 1 in 2008.
The total cost of the sewerage masterplan in Kuching is estimated to cost a staggering RM4 billion, which will cover Kuching city right up to Mile 5, where it will be able to provide sewerage services to up to 800,000 (PE).
“The main objective of the sewerage masterplan is to ensure that all used water be collected before being discharged into the environment. This way, we can have a better quality environment and source of water supply,” said Lau.
He said the technology applied here was based on an advanced Japanese tunnelling technology used by the Kumpulan-Nishimatsu-Hock Seng Lee Consortium, which has successfully completed Phase 1 with a cost of RM530 million a number of years ago.
The areas covered under the completed Package 1 project are mostly commercial centres and hotels in the city’s golden triangle and covers Satok, Wisma Saberkas right up to Padungan area, including housing areas, commercial centres and hotels. Its completion in 2015 has enabled the department to provide sewerage services to up to 100,000 PE.
The sewerage service processes both black and grey water from the city’s main centre, where they are treated at a sewerage plant near the former Zecon Plaza. The treatment plant has been operational with a capacity of up to 100,000 PE.
Black water refers to wastewater from septic tanks, while grey water refers to water discharge from kitchens, bathrooms and washing areas.
The sewerage system will collect and treat both the black and grey water to standard A, which would then be released into the Sarawak River. This will ensure that the Sarawak River will remain healthy. — DayakDaily
