PAPAR, March 19 — Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor has instructed the Water Department and Jetama Sdn Bhd to build a second water intake to feed the Emergency Water Supply Scheme (EWSS) Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Kampung Limbahau here.

He said the second water intake is proposed at Kampung Kabang located further upstream of Sungai Papar to avoid a recurrence of saltwater intrusion that has forced a total shutdown of the EWSS WTP.

“The proposed second water intake at Kampung Kabang will be the solution for the high salinity issue at the first water intake in Kampung Limbahau,” he told reporters after visiting the Limbahau EWSS WTP near here today.

Recently Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali who is also Papar MP, had proposed that the second water intake is most viable to be used as an alternative water intake to source raw water when its existing intake is problematic.

The Chief Minister was briefed by District Water Engineer Afiq Abqari Nain that the salinity level at the Limbahau EWSS WTP water intake has exceeded 4,000 milligrams per litre (mg/L), which is way more than the maximum standard of only 120 (mg/L).

Saltwater has flowed 13km into Sungai Papar, surpassing the Limbahau EWSS WTP water intake, which is about 8km away from the Papar River estuary.

Hajiji was also told that the shutting down of Limbahau EWSS WTP since Feb 17 coupled with two other water plants in Papar namely Jetama and Kogopon, which are not fully operational, had resulted in production dropping to 35 million litres daily (MLD) compared to its full capacity of 63 MLD.

“I came here today to see the actual situation in Papar, which needs integrated action from all the related agencies. Based on the briefing from the District Officer, District Engineer and State Water Director I can see actions have been taken to ease the burden of the people.

“It is important that we do everything we can to help the people,” he said.

The Chief Minister was briefed that the EWSS shutdown and prolonged drought has resulted in a critical water shortage which has been affecting about 150,000 people in the district.

Hajiji said the District Office has been supplying water using water tankers directly to those affected and four static tanks, while water is also available at the District Water Department headquarters.

“I hope the water supply delivery using the water tankers would be continued and if need be, the State Government would foot the bills for additional water,” he said.

At the same time, he said cloud seeding was being considered above the water catchment areas depending on the suitable clouds.

Meanwhile, Water Department Director Suhaimi Asbullah, said water production in the whole state had dropped to 1,466.29 MLD compared to the normal 1,534 MLD production due to the shutting down of the Limbahau EWSS WTP and Sebatik WTP. — Bernama