Residents and businesses on Sabah's west coast rely on stored water in buckets and tanks due to frequent multi-day supply cuts. The Ulu Padas Water Supply Scheme (SBAUP) has commenced construction, aiming to deliver 350 million litres daily by 2029 and up to 950 MLD long-term, addressing infrastructure limits, high water losses, and industrial demand to restore dignity and economic stability.
Stacks of plastic buckets and towering water tanks have become a ubiquitous sight across Sabah 's west coast corridor, a stark visual testament to the region's enduring ' bucket culture '.
Households and business operators rely on stored water to navigate multi-day municipal supply cuts that disrupt daily life and operations. Jeff Lu, marketing and sales director at Minyak VW Enterprise Sdn Bhd, a maritime logistics and bunkering firm, describes the situation as heartbreaking and dignity-stripping. From both a personal and professional perspective, he explains that prolonged water outages halt normal life, create anxiety, and severely impact maritime logistics, leading to costly demurrage and logistical penalties when vessels await fresh water.
His company, which supplies mid-stream fresh water to ships, domestic vessels, and island resorts, is forced into a reactive mode during these disruptions. The root of the crisis lies in infrastructure that has reached its absolute limit, with demand from population growth and strategic industries like oil and gas, solar, glass and silicon manufacturing, batteries, and green steel outstripping the capacity of legacy systems.
Compounding the issue are ageing, leaking pipes and high non-revenue water (NRW) losses, which see 7,195 million litres of treated water lost daily, amounting to over RM2 billion in annual losses. Dr James Yong Hon Min, managing director of PY Konsep Perunding, emphasises that the Ulu Padas Water Supply Scheme (SBAUP) is not merely another project but a strategic intervention to build a stable and resilient supply backbone for Sabah.
Following the official site handover from the State Water Department (JANS) to Upper Padas Power Sdn Bhd (UPPSB) on May 12, construction has commenced. Sabah Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Dr Joachim Gunsalam, who also serves as the state Works and Utilities Minister, witnessed the ceremony, underscoring the project's importance as a milestone towards long-term water security.
Phase 1 aims to deliver 350 million litres daily (MLD) by the end of 2029 to the west coast corridor, including Kota Kinabalu, Beaufort, Sipitang, Kuala Penyu, and Kimanis. This phase involves a new treatment plant in Beaufort and 200km of pipelines from Sipitang to Kota Kinabalu. The full scheme is designed to ultimately provide up to 950 MLD, securing Sabah's water needs for the next 50 years.
Muhamad Elias Johari, CEO of UPPSB, provided a technical briefing on the engineering milestones to the Deputy Chief Minister. For local businesses and residents, the SBAUP represents a profound socio-economic shift. Lu notes that for SMEs, predictability is everything; the additional 350 MLD will completely change the economic playing field.
His firm can then guarantee seamless, 24/7 water supply to the maritime sector without operational paralysis, allowing businesses to dismantle costly contingency plans, avoid heavy capital investments in backup tanks, and scale up confidently. For everyday locals, it promises an improved quality of life where basic necessities are no longer a daily worry, restoring dignity and reducing anxiety.
Dr Yong adds that the prompt start of construction signals Sabah's transition from discussion to delivery, building infrastructure confidence through urgency, discipline, and accountability to provide the backbone needed for future generations
Water Supply Sabah Ulu Padas Bucket Culture Infrastructure Non-Revenue Water Maritime Logistics Smes Water Security SBAUP
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