KUCHING: An international water and wastewater management conference is expected to give added impetus to efforts by the state government to provide for clean treated water all across Sarawak.
The Borneo International Water & Wastewater Exhibition & Conference (BIWWEC 2022) this year will serve as a platform for innovative solutions, said Minister of Utility and Telecommunication, Datuk Julaihi Narawi.
“The Sarawak government has set a goal to have 100 per cent clean water coverage for all the people of Sarawak.
“In fact, our recent data shows that we are only 16.4 per cent short of achieving full coverage of water supply for the whole of Sarawak.
“This is considering the overall water supply coverage is now at 83.6 per cent, with 99 per cent coverage for urban areas and 66.9 per cent coverage for rural areas,” he said during a press conference on BIWWEC 2022 here today.
He mentioned that the Sarawak government is currently implementing various programmes in order to achieve the goal.
“They include the state-wide water grid and the Sarawak Alternative Rural Water Supply (SAWS) programme.
“As for wastewater management, the Federal government is implementing a number of centralised wastewater management systems for the major cities and towns of Sarawak,” he told.
Therefore, he said an event such as BIWWEC 2022 is very much needed as it serves to provide a constructive and beneficial platform to discuss and bring forth new innovations and technologies, from both local and international industries, which can be customised to improve the water supply and wastewater systems in Sarawak, both in the urban and rural areas.
“We hope that some of the solutions from BIWWEC 2022 may even be proposed for the water supply projects under the 12th Malaysia Plan, such as those under the Sarawak Alternative Rural Water Supply (SAWS) Programme under JBALB and many more.
“I am also delighted to hear that the BIWWEC 2022 will be launched by our Premier Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg, and that the three day conference is targeted to attract 300 delegates.
“It will include workshops and panel discussions among 30 experienced speakers, an exhibition with 40 exhibitors drawn from local, national and international industrial players. A gala dinner as well as technical site visits will also be included,” he said.
“There will also be town hall session and panel discussion on the implementation of the State Water Grid and also the State’s Post Covid Development Strategy,” he added.
The BIWWEC will be held from October 17 to 19 at the Imperial Hotel with the theme ‘Sustainability & Resilience Through Smart Technology and Innovation’.
