Likas Bay Sewage Pollution To Be Resolved Within 3 Months

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Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony pouring ‘effective microorganisms to treat sewage into a tank during his visit to a water pump station near Kota Kinabalu today.KOTA KINABALU: The sewage pollution at Likas Bay, the city’s prime recreational area, is expected to be resolved within three months
Sabah Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony, who visited the water pump station near here today, acknowledged that the problem had caused discomfort among residents because of the odour from the open drains
He said the contractor appointed by the previous government to carry out repairs on the broken sewerage pipes from Likas Bay to the sewerage treatment plant at Inanam had failed to carry out his duties despite being given nine months to do so
The contract was terminated last month and a new contractor was appointed to carry out the project, estimated to cost about RM20 million
“Repair works, including the installation of new pipes stretching about 3km are being carried out and expected to be completed within 90 days,” Anthony said
At the same time, he said his ministry was planning to add 13 more employees so that each of its 11 water pump stations in Kota Kinabalu would be looked after by at least three workers
Likas Bay has been affected by odour from untreated waste water flowing in open drains.Anthony said the ministry was using “effective microorganisms” (EM) to treat septic and sewage tanks in the area as a short-term solution to the problem
So far, a total of 990 litres of EM worth RM194,000 had been used, he said
Last month, a group of individuals claiming to be industrial experts, told a local daily that raw city sewage had been discharged into Likas Bay on purpose after the pipes had been modified to directly discharge the pollutants into open drains

The government denied this claim. - FMT

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