New Straits Times 7 Aug 09;
KUCHING: Sarawak has begun rationing water in two coastal areas as the current dry spell started to worsen.
Authorities are also considering rationing water in Kuching city.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam said the water level at the main river that fed the city's catchment areas in Bau, Sungai Sarawak Kiri, had dropped to a critical level.
"It's very low," he said yesterday at a briefing on the latest situation on the drought, water shortage, the influenza A (H1N1) and the haze.
"The water level is going down too fast. We might have to start rationing," said Dr Chan, who is also the state disaster and relief management committee chairman.
Water rationing has, however, been imposed in the Simunjan area of the Samarahan division and the coastal areas of the Sarikei Division in central Sarawak.
Dr Chan said the water shortage in Sarikei division was "critical" and the fishing village of Belawai was one of the areas hardest hit in the current drought.
Water at the new Gerugu dam in Sarikei has water to last only two weeks if it does not rain soon.
Authorities started rationing water in Simunjan yesterday and would start rationing in Sarikei today.
However, 75 villages in the state are totally without water.
The majority of them are in the Niah, Bekenu and Bakong areas of the Miri division triggering a large-scale water relief supplies.
The Public Works Department are already sending water to these areas in a fleet of water tankers and barges.
Cloud seeding would begin Monday over Kuching, Sarikei and Belawai.
Sarawak starts water rationing
Jack Wong, The Star 7 Aug 09;
KUCHING: Sarawak has started water rationing in certain areas as water levels in dams and rivers have dropped drastically.
Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan Hong Nam said thousands of residents in Sarikei Division in central Sarawak would be affected, starting today.
“Notices will be given out tomorrow (Friday) on the time of water rationing in Sarikei,” he told reporters at his office in Wisma Bapa Malaysia yesterday.
The water authorities in Sarikei draw raw water from the Gerugu Dam. Dr Chan said Tanjung Manis, Belawai and Beladin in Mukah Division were among the water-stressed areas because of the prolonged drought.
Dr Chan, also state disaster relief committee chairman, said water rationing has also been imposed in Simunjan in Kuching Division.
He said the Sungai Sarawak Kiri, where the Kuching Water Board draws its raw water, has dropped to “a very low level”.
Clouding-seeding activities at the water catchment area here, Sarikei, and some coastal areas will begin on Monday to induce rain.
Dr Chan said the authorities had supplied nearly two million litres of drinking water to villagers in drought-hit areas.
“Barges may be used to transport drinking water to the affected villagers,” he said.
He advised the people to conserve water, and stop using it to wash cars.
Dr Chan also said the haze situation had worsened, adding that there were 164 hotspots statewide and 594 hotspots in neighbouring Kalimantan, Indonesia, as of Wednesday.
He said forest fires were raging in Miri and Sibu, and he urged all agencies and the private sector to supply manpower and equipment, like water pumps, to help firemen to put them out.
Some of the fires, he said, could have been started by plantation companies.
Pointing out that opening burning has been banned, he warned that stern action would be taken against the offenders.
