by Theleaders | September 22, 2025 2:34 pm
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 22 — Penang Island City Council mayor Rajendran Anthony has called for a citywide audit of sewer pipelines after a sinkhole near Komtar brought traffic to a crawl yesterday evening.
The collapse, which began as a small leak spotted last Saturday, widened into a road cave-in at the junction of Burmah Road and Macalister Lane, forcing traffic onto a single lane, according to Free Malaysia Today.
Rajendran said Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) has been tasked with urgent repairs and a full audit of ageing sewer lines across George Town.
“We hope that Indah Water Konsortium (IWK) can fix this in under five days and urgently audit all sewer lines in the city to prevent similar incidents,” he said.
IWK said initial checks indicated a dislodged joint in the sewer pipe was to blame.
Crews will need to dig up a 13-metre stretch of road, with works expected to finish in about five days.
To ease congestion in the Komtar area, Rajendran said IWK has been instructed to carry out the work at night.
“We can have two lanes open if IWK works at night. It does not resolve the traffic issues, but it will reduce it,” he said.
The pipe that failed was installed in 1964 by the former George Town City Council.
Sewer management nationwide was taken over by IWK in 1994.
Wastewater specialist G Parameswaran said sewer pipes from the 1960s, typically built to last 50 to 70 years, are prone to cracks or shifts if not maintained.
“Without proper upkeep, these old pipes can crack or shift, especially under traffic or soil movement,” he said.
Source URL: https://theleaders-online.com/mayor-orders-citywide-sewer-audit/
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