Yong demonstrating the readiness of Sabah’s first desalination plant at POIC Lahad Datu.
LAHAD DATU: The much-maligned water supply situation in Sabah is on a definite path towards resolution.
State-owned water company Jetama Waters Sdn Bhd is embarking on a programme to produce RO industrial water with its Containerized SWRO (Sea water reverse osmosis) Desalination Plant to complement the Sabah Water Department which supplies the state’s water.
“With our SWRO modular system producing RO industrial water, we hope to enable the treated water presently used by industries to be diverted to domestic and the wider consumers,” said Jetama Water Senior General Manager Ts. Jude Abel Logijin when briefing POIC Sabah Sdn Bhd Chairman Datuk Seri Yong Teck Lee, board members and management here today.
Jetama has set up the first of its desalination plants at the POIC Lahad Datu Industrial Park here. The plant, capable of producing 500,000 litres of RO industrial water per 8-hour operation, has undergone trial runs in the last few months.
About 10 factories in POIC Lahad Datu and its adjacent areas have indicated interests that totalled in excess of 2.5 million litres per day.
Several water tankers have been acquired to provide delivery.
The SWRO production process uses a system of high-powers pumps and RO filters that fit inside a 40-foot container, thus enabling the treatment plant to be easily moved around.
“Our model is easily scalable and put into operation quite easily.
“It also can be customised to suit the water source and to ensure that the quality of water produced meets the parameters required by the customers,” said Jetama Assistant General Manager (Operation) Debbie A Peter.
Jetama is the first producer of RO industrial water in the state where supply shortage and disruption caused by water theft and ageing distribution pipe network have plagued supply.
“Our RO industrial water costs marginally lower than the treated water from the Water Department, and we hope that our supply assurance will earn us loyal and long-term customers,” said Jude.
He was confident the pilot ‘proof of concept’ plant here will lead to Jetama setting up similar facilities where water supply requires expansion.
“Development projects such as holiday resorts in far flung places can have a water supply system installed quite conveniently because our system can be designed to treat fresh water and brackish water.”
The plant draws water from the POIC bulk jetty about one kilometre away. The only residue in the process is briny water, about 30% of intake volume that drains back to the sea.
Yong and the other guests were taken on a tour of the treatment plant where he ceremoniously unleashed, to an applauding crowd, a wild gush of desalinated water ready to serve the industries.
