Johor govt to review need for Phase 2 of Rapid’s raw water project

KOTA TINGGI, 18 Julai -- Empangan Seluyut merupakan fasa pertama Projek Air Mentah Rapid (PAMER) oleh Petronas, dibina sejak 2014 yang menelan belanja kira-kira RM1 billion, siap sepenuhnya untuk beroperasi hari ini. PAMER berkemampuan menyalurkan 260 juta liter air sehari termasuk 230 juta liter air ke Kompleks Bersepadu Pengerang (PIC) dan selebihnya ke Empangan Sungai Lebam. PAMER adalah sistem pengambilan air dari Sungai Sedili Besar masuk ke Empangan Seluyut dengan kapasiti simpanan 73 juta meter kubik manakala sumber air dari Empangan Seluyut pula akan dihantar ke Terminal Tadahan Air Bukit Panjang dan kedua-dua projek itu membabitkan saluran paip pada jarak 90 kilometer. --fotoBERNAMA (2016) HAK CIPTA TERPELIHARA

KOTA TINGGI: The first phase of the Raw Water Supply Project for Rapid (PAMER), which officially began operations on Monday, is more than adequate to supply water to the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC), says Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin.

Therefore, he said, the state government would relook at whether to proceed with the second phase of the project.

“Based on its current capacity, we don’t see the need to continue with the second phase, but we’ll look into it and maybe, if there is a need, it will just involve the dam expansion,” Mohamed Khaled told reporters after officially launching PAMER’s first phase operations at Seluyut Dam in Kota tinggi on Monday.

The RM1bil project, which began in 2014, has a capacity of 260 million litres per day (MLD) of water with 230 MLD to PIC and the rest to Sungai Lebam Dam for public use.

In its initial plan, PAMER comprises two phases with the first phase to be undertaken by the state government and the second phase to be built by other parties.

The second phase is expected to involve additional facilities to supply another 260 MLD for PIPC’s future users.

PAMER is one of the PIC’s six components in the Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex (PIPC).

Mohamed Khaled also said the state government was happy the project was completed and operating as scheduled. 

“It is the first completed facility in the PIC and the project is part of our assurance that Kota Tinggi and Petronas Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) will not face water problems,” said Mohamed Khaled.

Meanwhile, Petronas executive vice-president and chief executive officer for downstream Md Arif Mahmood said PAMER had, in principle, been supplying water to Sungai Lebam since March.

“It will start supplying water to PIC in the fourth quarter of this year,” he said in a speech. - Bernama