GEORGE TOWN, Jan 9 ― About 590,000 or more than 80 per cent of the residents in Penang will face a scheduled water supply interruption for four days starting at 6am tomorrow to make way for repair work at the Sungai Dua Treatment Plant (WTP).

The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) said it expects at least 101 areas in the Seberang Perai Utara (SPU) and Seberang Perai Tengah (SPT) districts to receive water supply after 48 hours, while a total of 157 areas involving SPT as well as Seberang Perai Selatan (SPS) as well as North East and South West in the island will have water supply restored after 72 hours.

However, for the convenience of residents during the disruption, PBAPP will use 99 water tankers, to deliver water supply to the affected users from January 10 to 14.

PBAPP chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan said it will also install a total of 97 static water tanks to store water for consumption by affected users.

He said PBAPP plans to supply about 1.85 million litres of treated water, throughout the period of water supply disruption through tankers and static tanks placed in the affected areas.

Meanwhile, state Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Committee chairman, Zairil Khir Johari said the repair work at the Sungai Dua WTP involved the replacement of two 1,200-millimetre long valves in the main treated pipe water line which had suffered a leak.

"It involves large-scale maintenance work as well as side water projects in 22 other locations throughout the state, especially the damaged and leaking valves with parts that have not been replaced for 50 years.

"The repair work took a day and after completion we will gradually restore water supply and expect water supply to return to normal between 48 hours to 96 hours,” he said.

Zairil said not all areas will experience supply disruptions including some areas in Tanjung Bungah, Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang that get water supply from Air Itam and Teluk Bahang WTP. ― Bernama