THE PENANG Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) has restored normal supply to 120,000 consumers affected by the state’s latest water disruption a day ahead of schedule.
The Ayer Itam Dam, which provides water to populations as far away as Paya Terubong and George Town on the island, is recording exceptionally low water levels.
The effective capacity of the dam was recorded at a dismal level of 34.6% today.
This has transpired mainly due to the diversion of water from the dam in light of the recent spate of water cuts and the drought.
PBAPP CEO Datuk K Pathmanathan explained today that this “effective capacity” is the capacity that matters for water supply operations.
“There is a remaining 20% of water ‘below’ this effective capacity,” he said.
However, it was confirmed last night that this “dead storage” cannot be used due to heavy siltation because the dam has been in service for 62 years.
Pathmanathan said that PBAPP is thus finalising an ‘Ayer Itam Dam Action Plan 2024’.
It features a proposal to the state government that may potentially increase the effective capacity of the dam from 34.6% to 50% by the end of April.
“The concept is to draw down less water from the dam than the average inflow of raw water into the dam daily,” he said in a statement.
The dam receives about 15 million litres of water per day (MLD) from three intakes – the Balik Pulau intake, Side Stream intake and Sungai Pinang West intake.
“PBAPP is planning to reduce the daily drawdowns from the Ayer Itam Dam to the Ayer Itam Water Treatment Plant (WTP) by 75%, from 44 MLD to 11 MLD,” he added.
“As such, there would be an average daily surplus of 4 MLD (15 MLD dam inflow – 11 MLD dam drawdown = 4 MLD surplus) that will be 'deposited' in the Ayer Itam Dam.”
"Over three months or 90 days, the accumulated deposits will total about 360 million litres, which could potentially increase the effective capacity of the dam by about 15%,” he said.
There is however one consolation for the state. The state's two other major dams – the Teluk Bahang Dam on the island and the Mengkuang Dam on the mainland – are showng levels above 80%.
Risk of prolonged drought
Concerns continue to mount over the state agency’s ability to cope in a water-stressed situation and provide quality water services in the intermediate future.
Penang is unable to generate adequate water resources on its own due to limited catchment areas and lack of investment in facilities such as dams and storage areas.
The state's sprawling network of pipes is already known to suffer wear and tear due to age.
The onset of drought may also hamper the state's ability to provide quality delivery services.
The repeated ruptures on the riverbed pipeline beneath Sungai Prai, which has been replaced with a new diversionary dual pipeline this week, has exposed PBAPP’s vulnerability over the various old pipes across the state.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow has urged that a water savings campaign be observed by all.
This is especially needed in the wake of reports that a prolonged drought may emerge due to the El Nino weather phenomenon, which begins as the Chinese New Year festive period approaches.
Chow said that each household here must strive to save at least 1,000 to 2,000 litres daily, especially during the dry season.
To ensure that the state does not digress in its water supply services, there is a need for cooperation from all quarters, especially consumers who must embrace conservation, said academician and water specialist Datuk Dr Chan Ngai Weng in a recent interview.
Former Kebun Bunga assemblyman Jason Ong Khan Lee opined that PBAPP needs to up its game in both the financial and conservation sense.
"If one monitors PBAPP's listed entity in the Kuala Lumpur Bursa Saham Exchange, the share price is mostly stagnant.
“It shows that the investors are no longer excited about PBAPP as a progressive company," he claimed.
If he were an investor he would think twice about investing in the company as its share movement is mostly flat, said Ong.
PBAPP needs to do the needful for its financial position and its ability to sustain quality delivery services while also advocating conservation, he added.
He also urged the water authority to build more dams. He claimed that expatriates, especially those under the ‘Malaysia My Second Home’ (MM2H) scheme, have cited a preference for water from dams as one reason to live in Penang. – The Vibes, February 2, 2024
