Bracing for planned water cut

Having gone through more than their fair share of water disruptions, those affected by the latest water cut in the Klang Valley say they are prepared.

Air Selangor, in a press statement, said there will be a scheduled water cut in Petaling, Hulu Langat and Kuala Lumpur to facilitate upgrading works.

Upgrades, maintenance and replacement works at Sungai Langat Water Treatment Plant will begin at 9am tomorrow and water supply is expected to be restored by Oct 12.

Y Two Restaurant owner Eric Ng said he had three 500-litre water tanks to store water.

Interestingly, he said, a water cut also meant an increase in business by at least 15% compared to regular days.

“We have better business because people can’t cook at home, so families would rather dine at restaurants.

“The stored water is used for washing purposes, not cooking.

Ng says a water cut also means an increase in business by at least 15% compared to regular days.“I use bottled mineral water for cooking when there is a water shortage.

“But I have to stock up on vegetables because produce sellers will usually close during this period as they require a lot of water for their business,” said Ng from Taman Equine, Seri Kembangan.

Christine Cheah is also prepared for the dry days ahead.

Her mother-in-law’s dialysis treatment was brought forward by a day to yesterday.

The dialysis centre is in Jalan Kuchai Lama, Kuala Lumpur.

“The dialysis process usually takes about four hours.

“A lot of water is needed to clean the equipment,” she said, adding that her mother-in-law Fatima Gnanapiragasam required dialysis three times a week.

Cheah said they were told to come a day earlier and had to reschedule other activities because of that.

“However, we are glad that it is a scheduled water cut so we are not caught off-guard,” she added.

Similarly, Bandar Sungai Long Section 7 Rukun Tetangga chairman Danny Lau said residents in his neighbourhood would store water a day before the water cut.

He added that they had been notified by Air Selangor of the disruption ahead of time.

However, Segar Hill residents in Cheras are worried about the upcoming water cut.

He says stored water is used for washing and not cooking at his restaurant .

Resident Tan Booi Charn said her neighbourhood had been without water supply for the last three days.

“We have called the authorities many times but no clear explanation was given for the sudden water cut.

“When I learned about the scheduled water cut from Oct 10 to 12 through WhatsApp, I became increasingly worried because such prolonged water shortage will bring us a lot of problems,” she said.

Many of the approximately 200 households in Segar Hill have water tanks.

However, for some residents, the tank is not a solution to the problem.

“A tank can provide sufficient water for my household during water cuts as we don’t use that much water.

“However, many of my neighbours, especially those with big families, are already facing a shortage of stored water.

“The upcoming water cut will certainly affect them badly,” Tan said.

For university student Foo Yuan Yong, the water tank in her house could store enough water for her family during the three-day period.

According to Foo, her household’s daily water usage was low as only her parents, who are in their 50s, were living there.