An impasse between the Selangor state government and the federal government has escalated the water woes affecting almost 90,000 households in Gombak and KL.
Since Saturday, residents have been experiencing water cuts because a water pumping station at Wangsa Maju broke down.
Syabas claimed the breakdown was due to the pumping station operating beyond capacity since 2004 while frustrated residents have lashed out at the water operator for mismanagement of the situation.
Selangor state exco member Xavier Jayakumar said Syabas' poor maintenance led to the pumping station's failure.
"Based on our investigation, all five pumps, including two standby pumps, were not functioning," he said today.
He suggested the state government, through the Selangor water governance board (LUAS), take over the pumps should Syabas be unable to handle the water supply.
Xavier said constant water disruption is the reason why the state government wants to speed up restructuring of the water industry.
On the other hand, the federal government had pushed for building a water treatment plant in Langat 2, to transfer raw water from Pahang to Selangor as an additional water resource.
However, the Langat 2 project was delayed after the Selangor government refused to approve the development order, opting instead for a water restructuring exercise to take over private water concessionaire Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas).
Yesterday, Selangor BN deputy information chief Datuk Seri Noh Omar said the federal government's initiative to build the Langat 2 water treatment plant was planned 16 years ago after foreseeing water shortage in the state.
"This had been decided during a briefing session with the National Water Council to develop the water treatment plant together with experts from Japan," he said after touring SK Alam Megah 2 with Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
Noh, who sits in the special cabinet committee, claimed the current water disruption had meant hundreds of factories could not operate fully, affecting the jobs of some 12,000 workers.
"If the water issue is not handled soon, I'm afraid Selangor's economic development will only continue to slide and investors will be discouraged," he said.--TheSun
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