THE Teluk Bahang Dam, Air Itam Dam and Mengkuang Dam in Bukit Mertajam continue to record a decrease in effective water capacities.
A check by Buletin Mutiara found that the effective capacity of Air Itam Dam was 70.9% as of today. It was 77.3% on March 11 and 95.2% on Jan 1 this year.
For Teluk Bahang Dam, the effective capacity was 54.8% as of today. It was 56.7% on March 11 and 58.7% on Jan 1, 2021.
Mengkuang Dam in Bukit Mertajam still has the highest effective capacity from all the three dams despite a slight decrease. It recorded 93.6% as of today. Previously on March 11, it was 94.9%.
Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa in his previous statement on March 12 said the corporation would recommend cloud seeding operations to the Penang government in view of the insufficient rainfall.
“PBAPP would propose about 15 cloud seeding operations at the Air Itam Dam and Teluk Bahang Dam areas as were similarly conducted last year to help the state have adequate water supply.
“The objective to have cloud seeding operations is to achieve a minimum of 80% effective capacities in the Air Itam and Teluk Bahang dams by December this year.
“Dry weather water supply engineering control measures also have been initiated in Penang due to minimal rainfall in the water catchment areas of the Air Itam and the Teluk Bahang Dam since Jan 1 this year,” he said.
According to Jaseni, cloud seeding could only be done when there are rain-bearing clouds at the dam area.
He said there may be some rain in April or May but the “real rain” would come during the inter-monsoon period from September.
Story by Riadz Akmal
Pix by Noor Siti Nabilah Noorazis