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Text and pictures by Water Supply Division,
JKR Hq. Sarawak
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| Sri Aman water treatment plant showing the sedimentation
tanks where the raw water is treated |
The Jabatan Kerja Raya (Public Works
Department) in Sarawak is the first agency to implement a treated water supply
system in the State, probably during the late 19th century.
Two other agencies, the Lembaga Air Kuching (Kuching Water Board) and
Lembaga Air Sibu (Sibu Water Board) were established in 1959 to manage
the supply of fully treated water to the towns of Kuching and Sibu respectively.
In 1967, Jabatan Perkhidmatan Perubatan dan Kesihatan (Medical Department)
of Sarawak implemented free untreated water supply schemes to remote kampungs
and communities.
The earliest record of a water supply system was the Kuching Water Supply System.
In 1887, the town of Kuching obtained its water supply from a nearby stream
and about 100,000 gallons per day of water was provided for only 8,000 consumers,
out of the total population of 25,000 people for the town.
This source of supply soon became inadequate, particularly during the dry season
and in 1902, an alternative source of supply was developed at Matang near Kuching.
The Matang dam and the laying of 12 miles of pipelines were completed in 1907.
This dam which is located at a height of 425 feet above sea level, had a storage
capacity of 3.5 million gallons.
By 1914, the demand from Kuching town was 500,000 gallons per day and soon the
storage capacity became inadequate and this together with the low stream flow
at the raw water source soon gave rise to inadequate water supply, especially
during the dry season.
Consequently, there was an urgent need for a more reliable water supply source
and system and in 1957, the Batu Kitang Treatment Plant located 16km from Kuching,
was commissioned. This treatment plant has a design capacity of 4mgd. Since
then, this treatment plant complex has been expanded to its present capacity
of 240 megalitres per day.
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Operator Loji at Pusa collecting water sample for
water quality analysis
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Amongst the few towns in Sarawak with the earliest record of a reticulated water
supply system are Sibu (since early 1900) and Mukah, Miri, Bintulu and Sri Aman.
The Lembaga Air Kuching (Kuching Water Board) and Lembaga Air Sibu
(Sibu Water Board) are statutory bodies established in January 1959 to take
over the management of the water supply systems for the Kuching and Sibu towns
from Jabatan Kerja Raya.
Each of the water boards is headed by a General Manager under a Board of Management
and a Chairman.
The Lembaga Air Kuching and Lembaga Air Sibu serve mainly the
municipalities and immediate environs of Kuching City and Sibu town respectively.
At present, there are 88 water supply authorities operated and maintained by
JKR. Each water supply authority consists basically of a water treatment plant
complex, storage facilities and distribution systems to a specific town.
In January 1996, LAKU Management Sdn. Bhd., a wholly owned company of the State
Government of Sarawak was established with the corporate head office in Miri.
This organisation took over the management of the three water supply authorities
of Miri, Bintulu and Limbang.
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| Balingian water supply HDPE high level tanks |
Under the Water Ordinance 1994, the Pihak Berkuasa Air Negeri Sarawak (Sarawak
Water Authority) was set up to administer the various Water Supply Authorities,
Water Boards and corporatised water supplies in the State.
The State Financial Secretary was appointed as the State Water Authority on
1st June 1995.
The Medical Department of Sarawak, under its Rural Health Sanitation Scheme
implement simple gravity feed water supplies to rural settlements and communities
that do not have access to treated water supply from the Water Boards or from
the water supply authorities.
Such schemes are built on a “gotong-royong” or self-help basis and
the completed schemes are handed over to the community for their own maintenance.
The water supply is not treated and no tariff charges are imposed.
Under the Water Ordinance 1994, published under chapter 13 of the Laws of Sarawak,
the State Water Authority shall have general control and supervision of all
water supply authorities and the management of all water resources and water
catchment areas in the State.
The State Water Authority may, with the approval of the Minister, delegate any
of its powers and functions to any statutory body or another public officer
or any other person.
Apart from the water supply authorities of Miri, Bintulu and Limbang which are
now managed by LAKU Management Sdn. Bhd, and the Kuching and Sibu Water Boards,
JKR Sarawak continues to perform the function and responsibilities of developing
and administering water supplies in the other areas of Sarawak.
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YB Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr George Chan Hong Nam giving
away the Gold Award for the Public Utilities Award for excellence for Selalang
treatment plant, to Jurutera Bahagian JKR Bahagian Sarikei Ir Yong Ing Ho
at the Award presentation dinner ceremony on 3rd May 2002 in Kuching
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The department’s water supply activities are effected through the Cawangan
Bekalan Air at Headquarters level and are being complemented by relevant sections
in the various JKR Divisional Offices throughout Sarawak.
The most common form of water treatment technology used in
JKR water treatment plants is the conventional form of water treatment, with
hopper type upward flow sedimentation tanks and rapid gravity sand filters.
Chemicals like Aluminium Sulphate and Soda Ash or in some cases, where the raw
water is highly coloured, Sodium Aluminate or polymers are used.
Since early days, JKR used to construct what is called “type one”
treatment plants of capacity 6,000 gallons per hour for many rural towns. Many
of these plants are still in existence.
In the 1980’s, the trend was for consultants to design and implement new
treatment plants and water reticulation systems and as such, treatment plants
of various capacities were constructed.
In some areas, to provide short-term increase in production, JKR also constructed
prefabricated water treatment plants made of welded steel plates which take
the form of a hopper shaped clarifier and a cylindrical filter tank.
One of the advantages is that these plants can be knocked down and re-erected
elsewhere. Usually the capacity is also about 6,000 gallons per hour.
Recently, modular type HDPE prefabricated plants are also used.
The Department had also acquired several units of mobile treatment plants of
capacity 4,000 gallons per hour. These mobile plants come with wheels and can
be transported to various locations in the State and very quickly installed
and are particularly useful for emergency situations or to cater for short term
temporary needs until a major plant is completed.
Such plants are also used to supplement existing treatment plants. The form
of treatment is the same as the conventional method.
Besides the above mentioned treatment plants, JKR also constructed a pulsator
treatment plant in Bintulu in 1984/85 and a Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) treatment
system in Asajaya in 1994. A continuous membrane filtration (CMF) treatment
system began operation in Pusa in 2001.
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| Simunjan water supply treated water pumps |
All the above treatment systems produced fully treated water supply to the required
standards. Regular samples are collected and analysed by Jabatan Kimia.
In-house analysis on water quality is also carried out at each headworks by
the operator plant. The analysis carried out are chemical analysis and bacteriological
analysis for both raw water and treated water samples.
The Julau water supply authority in Bahagian Sarikei was certified to MS ISO
9001 in 2000. Other treatment plants are in the process of going for the same
certification.
The first nationwide headwork’s competition in Malaysia was organised by
JKR Malaysia in 1989, as part of the effort to promote and improve the status
and standard of operation and maintenance of all water treatment facilities
and systems in Malaysia.
The competition was opened for 2 categories of treatment plants: below 5 mgd
and above 5 mgd production capacity. All Water Treatment Plants in Malaysia,
operated by JKR and the Water Boards were eligible to participate. The competition
is held once every two years.
Bintulu
In 1989, the Bintulu Water Treatment Plant was awarded the first prize for the
best water supply facility in the ‘above 5 mgd category’ in Malaysia.
This plant then had a production capacity of 11.5 mgd, serving an estimated
population of 30,000.
Belawai
In 1991, the Belawai Water Treatment Plant was awarded the first prize for the
best water supply facility in the ‘below 5 mgd category’ Malaysia.
This plant then had a production capacity of 0.5 mgd serving an estimated population
of 4000 people.
Betong
In 1993, the Betong Water Treatment Plant was awarded the first prize for the
best water supply facility in the ‘below 5 mgd category’ in Malaysia.
This plant then had a production capacity of 0.4 mgd serving an estimated population
of 5000 people.
Miri
In 1995, the Miri Water Supply Treatment Plant was awarded first prize for the
best water supply facility in the above 5 mgd category’ in Malaysia. This
plant then had a production capacity of 55 mgd serving an estimated population
of 200,000 people.
Julau
The Julau Water Treatment Plant was awarded second prize in the below 5 mgd
category. This plant had a production capacity of 0.3 mgd serving an estimated
population of 3,000 people.
The criteria for judging the plants included general cleanliness, ability to
treat and produce good quality water, conditions of mechanical and electrical
equipment, safety provisions, upkeep of records, staff initiative and overall
standard of management, operation and maintenance of the treatment plant.
This award began as the Directors Award for Best Headworks
and was later changed to be called the Public utilities Award for Excellence.
The objective was to improve the standard of operation and maintenance of the
treatment plant and create a sense of pride and belonging.
This Award began in 1989 and was held once every two years. The result of this
effort is an improvement in the standard of operation and maintenance of the
treatment plants, besides giving the staff motivation and pride in their work.
The Cawangan Bekalan Air JKR Sarawak has the objective of planning, developing,
and managing water supply and distribution systems throughout Sarawak.
Its goal is to provide reliable and safe drinking water to all its population
in accordance with the aims and policies of the State Government of Sarawak.
Under the Eighth Malaysia Plan the objective will continue to be the provision
of the basic amenity of treated water supply for the health and socio-economic
advancement of the people, both in rural and urban areas.
Whilst directing special attention to the rural areas, special focus will also
be given to make treated water supply available to promote and spur industrial
and commercial development in the State.
Under the Eighth Malaysia Plan, the provision of treated water supply to complement
the development of growth centres and agricultural land development schemes
will continue to be an important objective.
Amongst the strategies of the Eighth Malaysia Plan are the increasing coverage
to the ‘unserved’ population through the construction of new water
supply, upgrading and expansion of existing water supply systems, improvement
of quality and reliability of existing treated water supply and amalgamation
of smaller water supplies into larger Regional Water Supplies to achieve economies
of scale, cost effectiveness and efficiency.
Other objectives include reduction of non-revenue water, and management
and development of water resources where gazetting and management of water supply
catchments will be accorded a priority.
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