KUALA LUMPUR, June 4 — Residents in areas of the Klang Valley affected by the scheduled water cuts set to begin tomorrow have begun preparations by storing water to last till Thursday.
Checks by Bernama found several business premises, especially eateries, have made preparations well ahead, some since last week.
Kampung Baru steamed chicken rice seller Ahmad Zulfaqarullah Mohd Zuhdi, 29, said he and his business colleagues began storing clean water in their water barrels on Sunday (June 2).
“Even though there is talk that my area is unaffected, we need to be ready for any possibility, especially since I am selling food.
“Water is really important for drinks and washing cutlery,” he said.
A food eatery operator in Puchong, Zaiton Abd Hamid, 65, said that besides preparing early, she has to be prudent with water usage to ensure that whatever she keeps is enough to last throughout the water disruption duration.
“It is times like these that more people will choose to eat out,” she said.
The scheduled water cuts announced by Air Selangor have caused demand for water storage products to rise around Kuala Lumpur, as evidenced by an uptick in customers at various household goods shops around the capital city.
Household goods shop worker Justice Poh, 24, said that sales of water containers and pails were brisk throughout the last week.
“There are a lot of people buying. We had to restock this week because everything’s gone,” she said.
A shop patron, Mohd Idzham Dzulkifly, 39, said these items were at the top of his list during such water disruptions.
“It is my first time facing this situation. So I am here to buy some containers to store water for my family’s use,” he said.
Another shopper, retiree Jamaliah Bahadur Hisham, was also browsing through the items, looking for several containers to store water for her family.
“This Thursday (June 6), I am headed to Makkah (for pilgrimage). I cannot just let my children sit at home without water, so I am here to buy four for my home as well as theirs since they also live in affected areas,” she said.
Last month, Air Selangor said the water cuts would affect seven areas in the Klang Valley: Kuala Lumpur, Gombak, Hulu Selangor, Klang, Kuala Selangor, Petaling, and Shah Alam, with water supply be disrupted from tomorrow until Friday (June 7).
The scheduled water cuts were due to maintenance work and asset replacement at the Sungai Selangor Phase One water treatment plant. Consumers can expect to receive water in stages from 3am on June 6.
Further information on the scheduled water cuts will be updated periodically through Air Selangor’s official communications channel, or via the Air Selangor app, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) accounts, or by contacting Air Selangor at 15300.
— Bernama
