The Penang government, through the Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP), has planned to invest about RM1.185 billion in important water supply projects over the next five years.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who is also the PBAPP chairman, said these projects include the five original key components and three new components of PBAPP’s Water Contingency Plan 2030 (WCP 2030).
“The five original key components are the new Bukit Panchor dissolved air flotation (DAF) water treatment plant (WTP), Package 12A, Sungai Dua WTP: an Additional New Water Treatment Module, new Mengkuang Dam WTP, the new Sungai Kerian WTP (Phase 1), and the Sungai Perai Water Supply Scheme (including pre-treatment of raw water).
“These five original components will optimise and increase PBAPP’s water treatment capacity in Penang.
“As for the three additional new components of the WCP 2030, the first two are the laying of 13km of 1,800mm water distribution pipelines from the Sungai Dua WTP to Butterworth in Seberang Perai and the laying of 3.9km of 1,800mm water distribution pipelines from the Macallum area to the PBAPP Bukit Dumbar Reservoir and Pumping Station Complex on Penang island.
“These two new WCP 2030 projects will facilitate the pumping of more treated water from the Sungai Dua WTP in Seberang Perai to the Penang island.
“The third new component is to build an additional new WTP at Sungai Muda to increase water treatment output by 114 million litres per day (MLD),” Chow said in his speech during a site visit to the Sungai Dua WTP in Tasek Gelugor today.
Also present was PBAPP chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan.
In short, Chow said there are now eight WCP 2030 projects that are scheduled for implementation in Penang in a five-year timeframe from 2023 to 2028.
“The total projected investment for these eight projects amounts to RM1.185 billion.
“This level of investment reflects the state government and PBAPP’s unwavering commitment to ensuring water supply sustainability throughout the state until 2030.
“After all, we need more water supply to achieve the aspirations of the state government’s Penang2030 vision.
“We must also minimise the risks of a water supply crisis before the commissioning of the Sungai Perak Raw Water Transfer Scheme (SPRWTS).
“The WCP 2030 projects also should be able to address a projected maximum water demand of 1,500 MLD in Penang by 2030,” he added.
On a separate matter, when asked by a journalist whether Penang will have a second wave of cloud seeding operations at Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam, Chow replied that it is compulsory to do so since the raw water reserves of the two dams on the island are still below 50%.
“We will refer to the related agency to carry out the second wave of cloud seeding operations.
“As a matter of fact, we will continue to do so until the raw water reserves of the Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam are at a minimum level of 50%,” he said.
The first wave of cloud seeding operations at the Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam was carried out on May 2, 3 and 4.
It is learnt that some rainfall was recorded in the water catchment areas on days when the first wave of cloud seedings was carried out but dam effective capacities are still low.
As of 7pm today, the effective capacities at Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam are 40.2% and 46.8% respectively.
When asked to comment on a recent press conference by state Transport and Infrastructure Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari stating that the water capacity in Air Itam Dam was at a ‘critical level’ and could only last for 40 days without any rainfall, Chow said the residents in Air Itam and surrounding areas should not be worried as the state government and PBAPP will do their best to make sure such scenario would not happen.
“Of course, we have another alternative to minimise the water usage from the Air Itam Dam.
“This includes using Bukit Dumbar Reservoir to channel the water to the residents in Air Itam and surrounding areas.
“So, half of the residents will receive water from Bukit Dumbar Reservoir and the other half will get it from Air Itam Dam.
“With this, we can ensure water supply from Air Itam Dam last much longer even without any rainfall,” he said.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Muhamad Amir Irsyad Omar
Video by Adleena Rahayu Ahmad Radzi