GEORGE TOWN – The proposed Sg Perak Raw Water Transfer Scheme (SPRWTS) stands to benefit both Penang and Perak if implemented, says Penang Water Holdings Authority (PBAPP) CEO K. Pathmanathan.
Its implementation should also be regarded as good news for the people of Perak, especially the residents in the north of the state, he said in a statement today.
SPRWTS has the potential of meeting both states’ raw water needs until 2050, he stressed.
He pointed to a Water and Environment Ministry report in August 2022 which assured the availability of 1,500 MLD (minimal liquid discharge) abstracted from Sg Perak, with minimal or no disruption to the activities of other stakeholders.
According to the report titled Option Evaluation and Pre-Engineering Design Study for the Proposed Water Transfer Scheme from Sg Perak for Water Supply in North Perak and Penang, all samples obtained showed good quality raw water, classified under Class IIA raw water suitable for drinking water, he added.
The samples were taken from Sg Perak, Sg Ijok and the Bukit Merah Dam.
He stressed that the report reflected two key facts – that SPRWTS would benefit Penang and Perak, adding that the raw water transfer scheme is viable from the supply engineering standpoint.
Stressing that the proposal should thus be allowed to go through, Pathmanathan said that sharing of resources for regional development and socioeconomic growth is in line with the overall goals of the Northern Corridor Economic Region.
In terms of contributions to the national GDP in 2021, Penang and Perak are the two key NCER states which contributed a total of RM175.7 billion, he noted.
It is also a cost-effective solution. The development costs of the SPRWTS are lower than the costs of developing separate water supply solutions for Penang and Perak, he added.
Treating raw river water to produce potable water is still the most economical option for water supply operations.
As such, the SPRWTS will have the lowest impact on future water tariffs in Penang and Perak, he claimed.
PBAPP needs to tap a second and alternative raw water resource for Penang because the state has become “over-dependent” on Sg Muda as its one and only primary raw water resource.
Penang’s water consumption increased by 62% in 23 years, from 536 MLD in 1999 to 868 MLD in 2022.
If the state’s water demand continues to escalate at this pace towards 2050, PBAPP may not be able to abstract sufficient raw water from Sg Muda to meet Penang’s treated water demand beyond 2030.
Currently, about 80% of the raw water that is used by PBAPP to produce treated water for Penang daily is abstracted from Sg Muda which originates in Kedah and flows along its border with Penang.
PBAPP regards SPRWTS to be the most rational water resource solution for Penang.
“As far as Penang is concerned, it must be commissioned before 2030 to mitigate the risks of a major water crisis,” said Pathmanathan. – The Vibes, April 19, 2023
