No-water blues earn Syabas angry telling-off
Dawn Chan
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Foo has had to store water in 73 drums due to the frequent water interruptions.
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PETALING JAYA: No one likes to wake up every morning anxiously checking if there's water from the taps.
But that's how A.S Foo and his family of six been living since June because of "out of the blue" water disruptions.
Foo, a company managing director who lives in Jalan 17/13, said water disruptions had been so frequent that, in frustration, he keeps a log whenever there is no supply.
He notes dates and times when there is no water, the Syabas report number, the person who attended his call and as well as reasons given by Syabas, the Selangor water supply utility company.
"It's always a burst pipe or low water pressure at other roads within Section 17. How long has this got to go on? I am so angry. I understand that burst pipes are unpredictable, but it has been happening too many times now."
"Since June, there have been disruptions every other day and the longest disruption was on Oct 26 when there was no supply for 17 hours," said Foo, who lives with his elderly mother, wife, three grown-up children and a maid.
Foo, who has lived in Section 17 since the 1980s, said he is certain the underground pipes can no longer cope with the ever-growing development.
"By now, Syabas should realise that the underground pipes are already rotten and it is time they begin replacing those pipes in stages.
"Each time I complain, I am told that one underground pipe has burst somewhere and it takes a maximum of one day to get it rectified. What will happen if not one, but two or three more burst at once? What will happen then, will it take two to three weeks?"
Syabas, he added, should look beyond just repairing the burst pipes and think about the thousands of residents in the area and also those in food businesses.
"They have to see the implications too. It goes beyond just those at home where household chores are upset. We are forced to buy bottled drinking water. We can't bathe, we are forced to eat out or go out to buy food, leaving dishes piled up in the kitchen,
"And for hawkers, the quality of their food will be compromised; I am sure minimum washing is done, which can lead to food poisoning."
Foo said he prepares for dry tap days by storing enough water in 73 drums he has placed in the garden of his double-storey house.
Despite the disruptions since June, Foo counts himself lucky. There have been no disruption in the first two weeks of November, but he wishes Syabas can inform residents in future.
The poor water quality also poses a problem as he needs to change the three filters in his house at least once a week.
"Water is essential in life and something we cannot live without, like electricity, I hope Syabas will take measures like replacing old pipes and supplying us with clean water," he said.
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