PETALING JAYA: Several dams in the state are well above the danger level, thanks to the rainy weather. The problem is that the Sungai Selangor dam, which provides water to 60% of Klang Valley folk, is not filling up.So, it does not look like water rationing will be called off any time soon.
Things may get worse during the impending five-month dry spell from June if water rationing for those relying on the Sungai Selangor dam is lifted.
“Even if the dam reaches the 55% mark by May, we should not lift rationing as the gap between supply and demand will be too small,” said Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (Awer) president S. Piarapakaran.
“Ideally, water operators should run at a 20% reserve margin of treated water, but the Klang Valley is recording a reserve margin below 5% at the moment,” he said.
The Selangor government had said that the water rationing exercise in the state would cease when the Sungai Selangor dam attained a 55% level.
Currently, the dam is at 38.82%, the Klang Gates dam at 54.17% and the Langat dam at 51.71%, while the other dams are already above the level set by the state government.
Previously, Selangor Water Management Au--tho-rity (Luas) director Md Khairi Se-lamat had said the Sungai Selangor dam needed 200mm of rainfall to get to 55% from its then 37.38%.
That amount of rainfall is equivalent to the average monthly rainfall for November, one of the wettest months of the year.
Md Khairi also said water rationing must continue until the target is reached.
Piarapakaran noted that the months of June to October was a dry season, when the only rains are from the south-west monsoon, which brings water to the other dams.
“However, the Sungai Selangor dam is affected by the north-east monsoon, which is usually from November to March,” he said.
To make matters worse, the Malaysian Meteorological Depart-ment had predicted that based on regional weather forecast data, the south-west monsoon this time around will be drier, with less rainfall than usual.
If this is the case, the situation in Klang Valley is set to worsen when the dry season starts.
Apart from the long dry season, Piarapakaran also said pollution to raw water sources are bound to have severe consequences.
“The Batu 11 and Bukit Tampoi treatment plants could be fitted with equipment to remove ammonia from sewage.”
Both treatment plants were closed last month due to high ammonia levels, and were only reopened on March 30 when the rain diluted the ammonia content in the rivers.
It had been previously reported that the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry would be forced to declare a water emergency for Kuala Lumpur, the Federal Territory and Putrajaya if water levels at the dams dip below 30% by April 30.
The minister Datuk Seri Maximus Ongkili said he had been instructed by the Cabinet to set up a National Action Committee that would enforce penalties and fines on those who used water excessively, such as through the use of hoses.
Post time 21-4-2014 04:56 PM
