By Fadhil Yunus & Azrol Azmi
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister's Office, yesterday consented to continue his working visits to the Public Works Department. Yesterday, HRH the Crown Prince visited the Water Works Department located in Tasek Lama.
HRH the Crown Prince was greeted on arrival by the Minister of Development, Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdullah, Deputy Minister at the Prime Minister's Office Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Eusoff Agaki, Deputy Minister of Development Dato Paduka Dr Haji Mat Suny, Permanent Secretaries in the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Development.
Also present to greet HRH the Crown Prince was the Acting Director of the Water Works Department, Awang Abu Nipah bin Haji Talip and other senior government officers.
Awang Abu Nipah then briefed HRH the Crown Prince on the organisational structure of the Water Works Department as well as its function and role and the development of the water supply.
HRH the Crown Prince was then briefed on the Brunei Darussalam Main Water Supply Telemetry System Network that is capable of monitoring the main reservoir operation and which helps the department to maintain and plan water distribution for any problems arising.
The Water Works Department has complied with rules set up by the WHO, a body that purely touches on the general health of organisations. The WWD guide says it has successfully maintained its schemes. According to the guide, 12,000 gallons worth of water costs about five dollars. There are three passages through the water tanks.
The Crown Prince was then briefed on the leakage control unit area, where various forms of leaks were being portrayed by His Royal Highness and materials being used to check for water leakages especially the transmission receivers. Later, a memorabilia was signed. The Crown Prince also visited the laboratory where water used for drinking is analysed.
His Royal Highness then proceeded to the ground floor of the Tasek Lama Water Works Department where he was briefed on the development of the E-BIS project, aimed at integrating billing information and enabling members of the public to communicate through the department's website. The projets, expected to be completed in nine months, is one of nine e-government projects implemented by the Ministry of Development.
Shortly after, HRH the Crown Prince visited the Mangkubau Water Reservoir in Mentiri and later proceeded to tour the lake reservoir by boat. The reservoir is situated 28.7 metres above sea level. Construction on the reservoir started on April 13, 1997, and was completed on the January 12, 1999. It is able to produce 30 million litres of water per day via the Mangkubau Water Treatment Plant where HRH the Crown Prince subsequently visited.
The treatment plant construction was finished on March 31, 2000 and is capable of supplying 27.3 million litres of clean water to people living in Muara and Kota Batu. The Crown Prince then visited some of the terrace housing facilities being developed at Kg Mentiri Housing Scheme before continuing his visit to the Sg Buloh STKRJ housing scheme.
The Crown Prince concluded yesterday's visit with a mass Zohor prayer at the Kg Sungai Hanching Mosque before attending a 'santap' at the commercial centre in Jalan Muara.
- Borneo Bulletin
(26th August 2007)
