UMS disputes dept’s claim, says water crisis due to shared tank supply
By The Borneo Post on May 31, 2025, Saturday at 2:16 PM

KOTA KINABALU (May 31): Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) has clarified the ongoing water supply issues affecting its campus, asserting that the root of the problem lies in the inconsistent water levels at the R13 Tank, not the university’s pumping system.

This follows a recent statement by the Sabah State Water Department (JANS), which claimed that 34 million litres of water are channelled daily into the R13 Tank, far exceeding UMS’s requirement of five million litres per day.

However, chairman of the UMS Board of Directors, Datuk Seri Panglima Abdul Rahman Dahlan, clarified that the R13 Tank is not exclusively allocated for UMS.

“The R13 Tank also supplies northern Kota Kinabalu, including Sepanggar, KKIP, residential areas and Hospital Likas. Given the rapid development in these areas, it is clear that the full 34 million litres is shared among many,” he said in a media statement on Saturday.

According to Abdul Rahman, the university’s technical team has consistently monitored the water levels in the tank and found that on many occasions, the levels drop below the minimum required for effective pumping to the campus.

“We have photographic evidence and water level data as official documentation. When the water level is adequate, our pumps work just fine,” he stressed, countering JANS’s suggestion that the university’s ageing pumps may be to blame.

UMS currently operates three water pumps, all of which remain functional. The university insists the challenge lies with inadequate water volume in the R13 Tank during peak hours, making it impossible to distribute water effectively, particularly to student residential colleges.

Abdul Rahman also expressed optimism about a forthcoming solution, the Telibong 2 Phase 2 Water Treatment Plant, which has been under construction since last year which is expected to be fully operational within two months.

“Once this plant begins supplying its projected 80 million litres per day to northern Kota Kinabalu, including UMS, I am confident the long-standing water supply issues, which have caused stress and anxiety for our students, will finally be resolved,” he said.

In the meantime, UMS has implemented several mitigation strategies to ease the impact of the water crisis. These include the construction of a new 3.5 million litre daily balancing tank complete with a new pump system, use of alternative sources such as tubewells and distribution of bottled drinking water and deployment of water tankers in cooperation with JANS.

Despite the challenges, UMS reiterated its appreciation for JANS’s commitment to resolving the issue and called for enhanced collaboration grounded in field data and technical coordination.

“Student welfare remains our top priority. Any issue affecting their access to clean water must be addressed comprehensively, transparently, and urgently by all parties involved,” Abdul Rahman stressed.

The university continues to monitor the situation closely and welcomes constructive dialogue to ensure a sustainable and long-term solution.

Source: https://www.theborneopost.com/2025/05/31/um...ed-tank-supply/