It’s house owners’ responsibility

National Water Services Commission (SPAN) representatives met Petaling Jaya residents on Saturday to address their concerns over the state of communal septic tanks.

The dialogue session was organised by SPAN with the support of the Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) and Indah Water Konsortium Sdn Bhd (IWK).

The issues raised included the maintenance and repair of the tanks, clogged pipes and the closing off of sewer lines which cause blockages.

SPAN sewerage regulatory department executive director Ridhuan Ismail explained that the tanks, which were usually situated at the end of the last house, was the containment unit for a networks of sewer pipes that ran underneath a residential area.

He said the maintenance of the CSTs was the responsibility of house owners in the neighbourhood.

Ridhuan explained that since the beginning of 2008, the Water Services Industry Act 2006, under section 62, the onus of taking care of CSTs had been handed over to house owners.

“Before 2008, the tanks were maintained by IWK.

“But, now, the responsibility for the maintenance lies with the residents.

“This also covers repairs and replacement of parts,” Ridhuan said.

There are 2,459 houses in Sections 1 to 12, Section 16, Jalan Templar and other areas in Petaling Jaya which are connected to more than 118 septic tanks.

SPAN chief executive officer Datuk Teo Yen Hua said the the tanks were build more than three decades ago. He said there were no sewerage treatment plants at the time.

“Now, we have sewerage treatment plants all over the place to cater to the growing population.

“We can’t do much about the existing septic tanks, which were built 30 years ago,” he added.

Teo said problems faced by the residents were due to the lack of maintenance.

“No maintenance work was carried out in the last two years. That is why they are facing problems.

“By law, it is the responsibility of the house owners to maintain the septic tanks,” he said.

Teo advised residents to engage IWK or a private contractor which has a permit from SPAN to carry out desludging work.

“We don’t want unscrupulous contractors to desludge the septic tanks and then dump the contents into the rivers,” he said.

He said IWK would charge householders RM8 per month to maintain the septic tanks.

Residents can opt for IWK services at www.iwk.com.my or private contractors at www.span.gov.my.

Source: NOEL ACHARIAM
PETALING JAYA
streets@nstp.com.my