In brief
A series of power cuts on November 7 and 8 left two Tutong water‑treatment plants offline, causing supply disruptions in Brunei‑Muara and Tutong districts. Brunei's Public Works Department is probing the cause while advising residents to conserve water and distributing blue water tanks. An independent source adds that a drought‑driven decline in the nearby Nongsa Reservoir and an electrical fault further complicated the situation.
On Sunday, Nov. 9, Brunei’s Public Works Department (PWD) reported that electrical interruptions that struck two water‑treatment plants in Tutong on Nov. 7 and again in the early hours of Nov. 8 had caused water‑supply disruptions in parts of the Brunei‑Muara and Tutong districts.
The PWD said it is carrying out investigations to determine the exact cause and to restore electricity and normal plant operations. While the restoration work continues, the department has advised residents to use water wisely. Blue water tanks have been placed at several locations to assist affected residents.
Ginda Alamsyah, speaking to the Independent Newspaper in Brunei Darussalam, added that the drought‑driven decline in the nearby Nongsa Reservoir had already lowered water levels. He stressed that the electrical fault compounded the supply problems.
“The drought caused the nearby Nongsa Reservoir to run very low, and supply systems were further disrupted by an electrical fault,” Ginda Alamsyah said.
Earlier this year, Brunei experienced one of its worst power outages in October, which affected public services and businesses, according to a Facebook post by the Free Malaysia Today media outlet. That event underscored the vulnerability of the island nation’s utilities to power disruptions.
As the PWD continues investigations, residents in affected districts are urged to monitor updates and adapt their water usage. The restoration of full service is expected to take several days, pending the resolution of the underlying power issues.
