KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 — All water companies will not be allowed to undertake maintenance works during the festive season, the new chairman of the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) said today.

Datuk Liang Teck Meng said the prohibition will take effect a week before and after major festivals to prevent inconveniencing consumers, especially those celebrating the festival.

“I have ordered so that no water concessionaires are allowed to have scheduled maintenance works which can cause a big scale water disruption for a week before and after major festivals as gazetted by the federal governments and respective state governments,” he said in a statement.

Putrajaya, the Selangor government and the utility authorities are all fending off heavy criticism after Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) announced scheduled repairs to a power substation lasting six days that would affect several water treatment plants in the state and subsequently disrupt piped water supply to some 3.8 million people in the Klang Valley just before Christmas.

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However, the federal government through its Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry has since said the water disruption will only last four days instead of six.

Liang who is also a Gerakan lawmaker, said the water companies have been directed to prepare an alternative electrical supply through the use of generator sets or TNB’s second power supply source to aid their work.

The Simpang Renggam MP also ordered Selangor’s water concessionaire, Air Selangor Sdn Bhd to restore water supply as soon as possible or “arrange for water to be delivered by lorries” for emergency use and public events. 

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