Yahoo News...BERNAMA

UMSKAL STUDENTS PROTEST - 3
Bernama - Wednesday, March 3SendIM StoryPrint.Labuan MP Datuk Yussof Mahal said he wanted the energy, green technology and water ministry to seek a solution to water problem in Labuan.

"We cannot afford to see students and our people continue to face this problem, day in and out. We simply cannot attract investors if the problem persists,” he said.

UMSKAL requires at least 120,000 gallons of water daily for its students and staff.

Meanwhile, the water supply department, following a meeting with Federal Territories and Wellbeing Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ahmad Phesal Talip, is expected to send ample supply of water to the university.

But the question now is, if UMSKAL gets priority for water supply, what about the 85,000 consumers on the island?

The water supply is now on a ration basis to all 27 villages, and is expected to continue until December when the new RM365 million undersea water pipelines from Beaufort are fully connected.

Labuan is still dependent on water supply from mainland Sabah via an undersea pipeline through the Padas River in Beaufort district. Currently, demand for water in Labuan is about 56 million litres a day but supply is only at 42 million litres, a shortfall of 25 per cent.

The water problem in Labuan started when two of the three dams went dry early last year.

-- BERNAMA

JBH KHY GR