PENANG has more water supply than demand, state Transport and Infrastructure Committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari said.
“The water supply for 2018 and 2019 were 391.5 million cubic metres and 398.8 million cubic metres respectively. The water supply from January to August this year was 270.3 million cubic metres.
“Meanwhile, the water demand for 2018 and 2019 were 306.5 million cubic metres and 307.5 million cubic metres respectively. The water demand from January to August this year was 209.6 million cubic metres,” Zairil (PH-Tanjong Bunga) replied the oral question raised by Mohd Yusni Mat Piah (PAS-Penaga) during the State Legislative Assembly in Dewan Sri Pinang today.
Mohd Yusni had also questioned the need to implement the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project.
Zairil said that the PSR project is crucial for the future of Penang.
“The PSR project is an economic catalyst for Penang; similar to the way that the Bayan Lepas Free Industrial Zone was developed in the 1970s together with the Bayan Baru township.
“Without Bayan Lepas, Penang will not be able to achieve its successes today – to be one of the most progressive, competitive and inhabitable states in the country,” he said.
Replying to the supplementary question by Penang Opposition Leader Datuk Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor (BN-Sungai Dua), Zairil said the Penang government prioritises water security to sustain continuous good water supply in the state.
“More than 80% of the state’s raw water is sourced from Sungai Muda. The Sungai Muda may only be able to meet Penang’s raw water needs until 2025.
“The implementation of the Sungai Perak Raw Water Transfer Scheme (SPRWTS) has not been implemented and discussions have reached a stalemate.
“Hence, we need to look for new water resources.
“The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) has initiated three contingency plans to mitigate the raw water supply risks in the state,” he said.
It was reported that the three contingency plans were under the corporation’s Penang Water Supply Initiative 2050 (PWSI 2050).
“The first plan is the implementation of Package 12A of the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant. The package involves the construction of a new 114 million litres per day (MLD) water treatment module in the Sungai Dua Water Treatment Plant.
“The second plan, called the Sungai Perai Water Supply Scheme (SPWSS), involves tapping Sungai Perai as an additional raw water resource.
“PBAPP is also considering water desalination. The calculated potential yield of the Penang Desalination Water Supply Scheme (PDWSS) is 250 MLD.
“The corporation has commissioned a feasibility study on the proposed PWSI 2050 projects,” Zairil added.
Story by Christopher Tan
Pix by Ahmad Adil Muhamad and Darwina Mohd Daud