Background and History

Background

Sabah State Water Department (JANS) is a State Government agency under the Ministry of Infrastructure Development. Presently, JANS operates under the state ordinance (Sabah Water Supply Enactment 2003) to supply treated water to the Sabah State community.

There are 84 water treatment plants operating throughout the state and an average of 1,300 million liters of water pumped out everyday to meet the people’s demand. The water supply is about 100% to the urban community and 75% to the rural community while the length of pipe is up to 15,031 km. There are about 531,350 water consumers registered from the 18 Water District offices throughout the State.

History

Sabah State Water Department was established in 1962 as a Hydraulic Division in the Sabah State Public Works Department (PWD). Under the PWD administration, the PWD Director was given full responsibility to act as the State Water Authority as stated in the Sabah Water Supply Ordinance 1961.

In April 1987, the State Government decided to form a State Water Department and place it under the purview of the Ministry of Works and Communication Sabah (now known as the Ministry of Infrastructure Development).

JANS was officially formed as a full fledge department in 1st January 1988 after the amendment of the Water Supply ordinance 1961 was approved by the Sabah State Assembly Hall.

The Director of Water Department is given full authority to perform his authority, functions and responsibility as a State Water Authority under Section 2, Water Supply Ordinance 1961. The authority commenced on 1st July 1987.