LABUAN, Oct 6 (Bernama) -- Thousands of consumers in more than 20 villages and residential areas across Labuan are grappling with a water supply disruption for the third consecutive day today, forcing several food and beverage operators to suspend business activities.
The disruption, which began on Sunday (Oct 4), has affected households, restaurants, eateries and other commercial establishments, leaving business operators struggling to maintain daily operations amid uncertainty over when the supply will be fully restored.
Food and beverage operators have been particularly affected, with the prolonged interruption hampering essential activities such as food preparation, dishwashing and kitchen sanitation, all of which require a continuous supply of clean water.
Saadiah Said, 49, said the disruption had severely affected her business, leaving her with no choice but to temporarily close her eatery until the water supply was restored.
“We depend heavily on water for almost everything, from preparing food and washing dishes to maintaining cleanliness in the kitchen. Without water, it is simply impossible for us to operate as usual.
“This is already the third day, and we are losing our daily income while still having to bear operating expenses. We hope the authorities can resolve the problem as soon as possible,” she said.
Another food and beverage operator, Nordi Amirul, 35, said the prolonged disruption was placing a financial strain on small businesses that depend heavily on daily sales to sustain their operations.
“We understand that technical problems can happen, but going three days without a proper water supply is very difficult for small businesses like ours.
“We have customers coming in, but we cannot serve them because there is no water for cooking and cleaning.
“Each day of closure adds to our losses, and we hope measures can be taken to ensure such disruptions do not happen again,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Labuan Water Supply Department (JBAL), in its latest notice issued today, said repair works on the Phase Two Raw Water Pump (RWP) at the Lawa Gadong Water Treatment Plant in Beaufort, Sabah, were still ongoing.
The department said further inspections carried out by the plant operator as of 5 am today detected cracks in the pump's bearing casing, requiring repair or replacement to ensure the pump could operate safely and reliably.
“The operator is currently making efforts to obtain a suitable replacement bearing casing to enable repair works to continue as soon as possible,” it said in the notice.
According to JBAL, the disruption has affected almost the entire Federal Territory of Labuan, except for the Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) District Metered Area (DMA).
The disruption stemmed from a malfunction at the Lawa Gadong facility, which forms part of Labuan’s main water supply system and supplies treated water to the island.
Apart from disrupting business activities, the water shortage has also caused considerable inconvenience to households, particularly families that rely on a consistent water supply for cooking, washing, cleaning and other essential daily needs.
JBAL said it would continue monitoring the progress of repair works and provide regular updates to consumers, including an estimated restoration timeline once further information becomes available.
However, no specific timeframe for the full restoration of supply has been announced.
The department expressed regret over the inconvenience caused and appealed for consumers’ patience and understanding while restoration efforts continue.
The prolonged disruption has also highlighted Labuan’s dependence on water supply infrastructure located in mainland Sabah, particularly the Lawa Gadong facility, where operational problems can have widespread implications for consumers and businesses across the island.
Meanwhile, the Public Works Department, Labuan Corporation and JBAL have mobilised water tankers to deliver water to affected villages and residential areas across the island, helping to meet residents’ essential daily needs during the prolonged disruption.
The agencies are coordinating the distribution of water to affected communities while repair works at the Lawa Gadong Water Treatment Plant are ongoing.
--BERNAMA