KOTA KINABALU, March 22 – Sabah will gazette all water source areas to tackle water supply problems, said Deputy Chief Minister I, Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan.
He said the measure seeks to safeguard the state’s water resources and allow the Sabah Water Department to manage the water supply for the people and industries.
The state Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Industry Minister also said the state government has identified several areas in Tuaran, Papar, Tawau, Sandakan, Semporna, Kudat and Penampang for this purpose.
“We have two types of gazettes, one for protection where the areas cannot be disturbed even though the land belongs to the government, outside national parks or forest reserves. Surrounding them are areas designated for water catchment and categorised as conservation areas.
“We must also gazette these areas with some flexibility because most of them are land with deeds and orchards. We should draft a policy to address or manage these conservation areas,” he told reporters after chairing the Water Resources Council meeting on Friday.
Jeffrey said authorities would explore other alternatives to tackle water supply shortages, especially during the dry season, including tapping into water sources from tube wells and the water transfer process.
He also hoped the government would build coastal reserves and retention ponds to collect more water during the rainy season.
According to him, the involvement of Village Development and Security Committees is crucial, including setting up committees to oversee water sources and increasing residents’ understanding of the importance of preserving the environment, such as rivers.
On the current water supply situation, Jeffrey said 89 water treatment plants are experiencing disruptions and not operating at total capacity, including in Pulau Sebatik, near Tawau, Pulau Banggi in Kudat and the Emergency Water Supply Scheme in Papar.
He said the water levels at all rivers across the state have dropped between 10 and 50 per cent, affecting padi farming activities in several districts, including Keningau (2275 hectares), Kota Belud (108.05 hectares), Papar (54.68 hectares) and Membakut (40.25 hectares).
“I am concerned about the upcoming planting season following the lack of water,” he added.
