Pipe leak repair work at Sg Perai riverbed expected to be completed by midnight tonight, says Penang water company

BUTTERWORTH, Jan 26 – A team of divers is working to reattach the 1,350 millimeter (mm) pipeline to the Sungai Perai riverbed. Completion is expected to be completed by midnight this evening.

Perbadanan Bekalan Air Pulau Pinang (PBAPP) CEO K. Pathmanathan said that currently, one of the three steel plates weighing 100 kilograms (kg) each has been successfully installed while the other two will be installed today.

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He said that yesterday due to heavy rain and strong underwater currents, there was a delay in the implementation of Plan A, so divers were unable to complete the work as planned and now a new team of 10 divers has taken over the task.

“There are three steel plates that are installed in the leaking pipe before the clamping work is carried out, but due to the currents in the riverbed, it is difficult to get it into the river.”

“The dive team and PBAPP are doing their best to ensure that Plan A can be completed as it is important for the full care of users. If it is ready at midnight tonight, some users will be supplied with water from tomorrow morning,” he told reporters after visiting Sungai Perai today.

Pathmanantan said that since midday yesterday, PBAPP has activated an additional water supply plan that involves the redistribution of water to some users.

He added that PBAPP has also activated an additional supply plan to provide water to 15,000 to 20,000 of the 120,000 consumers affected by the incident in Sungai Perai on January 23.

“The treated water comes from the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant (LRA) where there are two 1,350mm pipes that carry the water from the Sungai Dua LRA to Penang and PBAPP pumps more water at high pressure through the second (undamaged) pipe to the Bukit Dumbar Complex on the island,” he said.

Pathmanantan said water would be pumped back from Bukit Dumbar to as many affected users as possible in the Gelugor area to south of Bayan Lepas, but PBAPP was currently unable to provide an exact list of areas.

“Water pressure is low and supplies are interrupted, however at least some affected users will receive some water,” he said.

The pipe leak incident at Sungai Perai riverbed on Tuesday was the third incident after two pipe leak incidents were reported in December last year and on January 12. – Bernama