WHAT IS JBALB?
J.B.A.L.B stands for Jabatan Bekalan Air Luar Bandar.
HISTORY OF JBALB SARAWAK
Jabatan Bekalan Air Luar Bandar (JBALB) Sarawak is a department under the purview of Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication Sarawak (formerly known were Ministry of Utilities Sarawak, and Ministry of Public Utilities Sarawak). JBALB was enforced in August 2015 and started to operate fully in April 2016. JBALB Sarawak is entrusted with the responsibilities of taking over Jabatan Kerja Raya (JKR) in managing and improving water supply system especially in suburban and rural areas of Sarawak to resolve water supply issues in those areas.
The establishment of JBALB Sarawak as a new agency under the Sarawak Government is a significant move in tackling water supply issue and managing increasing demands for the supply of clean and treated water especially for the people living in suburban and rural areas. Together with Kuching Water Board (KWB), Sibu Water Board (SWB) and LAKU Management Sdn Bhd., JBALB Sarawak is a department under the purview of the Ministry of Utility and Telecommunication Sarawak.
JBALB Sarawak is headed by Ir Chang Kuet Shian, and he is assisted by approximately 1,500 staff across the state of Sarawak. They are responsible for the monumental task of achieving the department’s vision of 100% water supply coverage in rural areas of Sarawak by 2025 and the mission of the department is to supply safe reliable water supply to people living in rural areas of Sarawak.
As a new agency under the Sarawak Government, there are of course challenges and hurdles that have to overcome. However, guided by the core values: ‘Integrity, Kind and Caring, Teamwork, Result Oriented, Professionalism, Urgency and Ownership, and Customer Oriented’, led by indomitable leadership and supported by dedicated and committed staff, JBALB Sarawak is poised to become a respected and prestigious agency in the near future.
Currently, JBALB Sarawak has 97 active water treatment plants in the whole of Sarawak which have the capacity of 525.6 million liters a day (MLD) and an output capacity of 508 million liters a day (MLD) to meet the demands of approximately 1.12 million users. JBALB Sarawak also has 89 active booster pump stations, and 360 water tanks across Sarawak with approximately 8780km of pipeline.