GEORGE TOWN – The water supply disruption in Penang due to Baling floods is expected to be fully resolved by tomorrow morning, said Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) chief executive officer Datuk Jaseni Maidinsa.
Jaseni said currently 80% of Penang’s population is receiving water supply as usual, while the remaining 20% is still facing disruption due to low water pressure.
“Since around 10am this morning, 80% of consumers have received water supply as usual.
“Basically, I think the water supply will be fully restored tomorrow morning to all consumers in the state,” he said at a press conference in Komtar today.
Also present were Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and state Infrastructure and Transport committee chairman Zairil Khir Johari.
Yesterday, Jaseni said the earlier water supply situation was unstable owing to several factors, including the weather and the ability of Kedah water authorities to resume normal supply.
The state’s water supply was hit by an inflow of muddied waters, which clogged the treatment system yesterday following the tragic flooding upstream of Gunung Inas forest reserve in Baling, Kedah last Monday.
Meanwhile, Chow said the water supply crisis in Penang could happen again if the Kedah government still wanted to continue with several mega projects, especially the exploration of rare earth elements (REE) in Ulu Muda.
In this regard, he said, only the federal government had the power to help resolve the water issue in the northern region, before it escalates into a bigger crisis.
“Penang’s biggest fear if Ulu Muda continues to be explored has already been proven by this incident.
“That is why we proposed the Sg Perak Raw Water Distribution Scheme (SPRWTS) project, but it was delayed.
“Penang hopes the Kedah and Perak governments can unite with us so that we can resolve this water issue in the northern region together.
“The federal government needs to play an important role. What did the minister do? We have a crisis here, and you don’t take action”.
Earlier, the media reported that the Perak government had not yet made a decision on the sale of raw water to Penang as proposed under the SPRWTS.
SPRWTS involves the proposed water diversion project from Sg Perak to Sg Kerian with the implementation will be made through the Private Financing Initiative (PFI) method.
Chow was previously reported to have said that Penang needed alternative water sources by 2025-2030, and a proposal to start SPRWTS discussions had been made since 2019. – The Vibes, July 8, 2022
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