More than 700,000 people in Kota Kinabalu, Penampang, and Putatan will face water disruptions as an emergency repair work is set to begin on Friday.

Tthe combined population of Kota Kinabalu (500,421), Penampang (162,174), and Putatan (68,811) stands at approximately 731,406.

Authorities will shut down part of the Moyog Water Treatment Plant at 2:00 PM on February 7 to fix a major leak at a 1,200 mm pipe near Skyline SIB on Jalan Penampang.

The leak, caused by lateral loading pressure at the washout chamber, was detected at the upstand washout 250 mm pipe.

“Repairing this damage is crucial to prevent a total pipe failure,” said Sabah Deputy Chief Minister III Datuk Shahelmy Yahya, who is also the state Public Works Minister.

The work involves excavating the site, pinpointing the leak, and conducting pipe repairs, which are expected to take 12 hours.

During the shutdown, the plant’s output will drop by 41%, from 187 million liters per day (MLD) to 109 MLD.

Affected areas include KK City Centre, Kepayan, Tanjung Lipat, Kolombong, Inanam, Luyang, Bukit Padang, Penampang, Kobusak, KDCA, Jalan Penampang Baru, Jalan Pintas, Donggongon, Jalan Panglima Banting, Jalan Bundusan, Beverly Hills Apartments, Putatan, Kampung Ketiau, Petagas, and surrounding regions.

“Residents should store enough water and use it wisely during the disruption,” Shahelmy advised.

To ease the impact, Jabatan Air Negeri Sabah (JANS) will deploy water tankers to the worst-affected areas.

“We will work around the clock to complete the repairs as soon as possible,” he said.

For updates, residents can contact the JANS Careline or check its website and social media pages. – February 4, 2025.