Residents Dig Tube Wells As Water Crisis Drags On

PASIR MAS, April 3 (Bernama) -- Some residents in Kampung Banggol Tok Mokyong here have resorted to digging their own tube wells following months of ongoing water supply disruptions.

Resident Ariffin Ismail, 64, said constructing a tube well, or “boring”, can cost between RM5,000 and RM10,000 to secure a source of clean water.

“Low-income earners like me have to do it ourselves to save on costs.

“Sometimes there is no water supply for two to three days, so we have to bathe in the river, while drinking water has to be purchased from shops,” he said when met near his home today.

Elaborating further, Ariffin explained that the process involves driving a pipe into the ground until it reaches a sand layer that allows water to flow.

“Usually, the pipe is inserted to a depth of about 20 feet, and at around 30 feet, water can be obtained. If the soil is hard, it becomes difficult, but if it is clay, the work is easier,” he said, adding that he was assisted by his wife, Surani Daud, 48.

He estimated the cost of constructing a tube well at about RM25 per foot, although the quality of the water cannot be guaranteed.

“We are doing this just to get access to water first. Whether it is clean or not is a secondary concern because the priority now is survival.

“In fact, the same issue has also been reported in nearby areas, including Kampung Tersang and Tok Deh,” he said.

-- BERNAMA