Kota Kinabalu: The Telibong II Water Treatment Plant is expected to operate with a semi-production of 10 million litres a day (MLD) by December 2024, which will resolve water woes in critical areas, said Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Abidin Madingkir.
He said the areas include Bandar Sierra, Kota Kinabalu Industrial Park (KKIP), SK Nexilis, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and surrounding areas.
“Full supply can only be channelled when the main pipeline components are fully completed later on,” he said during question time at the State Legislative Assembly, Tuesday.
He was responding to Nabawan Assemblyman Datuk Abdul Ghani Mohamed Yassin who asked what the State Government’s short-term strategies were to address basic infrastructure problems in the State.
Abidin said the Telibong II Water Treatment Plant’s capacity is still being expanded from 80MLD to 160MLD, adding the project is currently testing and commissioning the plant’s components.
He said this was part of the State Government’s several outlined initiatives to address the State’s long-standing water woes.
He said other efforts include decreasing non-revenue water (NRW) from 59.57 per cent to 53 per cent in 24 months, comprising 20 projects, with the RM300.25 million allocated to the State Water Department.
He said the 20 projects include replacing water pumps and power generators in water treatment plants and upgrading their capacity.
Others will involve climate change mitigation and illegal connection eradication operations in several districts, including Kota Kinabalu, Tuaran, Papar, Beaufort, Tawau and Sandakan.
He said there are also plans to expand the capacity of the Kogopon Water Treatment Plant in Papar from 40MLD to 80MLD, which is expected to be completed in August 2026 and resolve water supply issues in south of Kota Kinabalu (KK), such as Putatan, Kinarut and Papar.
“The State Government is also conducting a feasibility study on building a hydroelectric dam in Ulu Padas, Tenom and a dam in Kaiduan, Papar.
“If both these high-impact projects are realised, it can cater to water needs for 100 years in the North, Central and South of KK.
“It also includes the lower interior, namely Kimanis, Bongawan, Membakut, Kuala Penyu, Menumbok, Sipitang and the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) industrial area,” he said.
On the State’s electricity supply, Abidin said Sabah will see several projects that establish new power generation stations, including a natural gas-based engine power plant with a capacity of 100MW in Kimanis, scheduled to be completed in 2025.
The others include a hydroelectric plant with a capacity of 170MW in Sg Padas and Maligan to complete in 2028 and a 180 MW hydroelectric dam in Ulu Padas expected to be completed in 2029, among others.
He said there will also be a large-scale 100MW solar project expected to be completed in 2025 and another 100MW in 2026.
“The transmission line connection project between Sabah and Sarawak with a total capacity of 30 to 50MW is being implemented and is expected to be completed in 2025.
“Sabah’s grid transmission line system will also be strengthened through the Southern Link 275 kilovolt Transmission Line (TPSL) project, spanning 331km connecting PMU Mengalong, Sipitang and PMU Tawau.
“This project is currently in the process of negotiation with the Federal Government to determine the financing mechanism and is expected to start next year to ensure that it is fully completed in 2030,” he said.
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