Update: The water supply has not returned as of 6pm today. Air Selangor now says it will be fully restored in two days, at 3pm on Nov. 13.
Water agency Air Selangor announced today that Kuala Lumpur and Selangor state can expect to have running water again no sooner than 3pm.
The announcement came after 1.1 million households had their water suddenly cut at 6pm yesterday due to chemical pollution in the Selangor River and Rantau Panjang water treatment plants. Taps went dry at nearly 1,300 locations, including Sungai Buloh Hospital, the capital’s main facility for treating COVID-19 patients,.
“Water supply will resume to affected areas in stages from 3pm onwards. We will continue to provide water tanks to affected areas today,” Air Selangor said in a statement.
Treatment plant operations had resumed at 2:40am this morning, the sole water provider for KL and Selangor added.
The police arrested four individuals suspected of inadvertently polluting the water treatment plants.
“Four individuals, aged between 33 to 43, were arrested,” Selangor Criminal Investigation Department chief Fadzil Ahmat told reporters, adding that unspecified chemicals at the suspects’ rented premises in Rawang were believed to have flown into the water treatment plant.
“It is believed that chemicals were thrown into a sewage hole and flowed to the polluted area,” he added. The four will receive their remand orders today from the Selayang Court.
This is the fourth time KL and Selangor have experienced water cuts. In October, more than a million homes were left without water, also due to pollution.
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