Water rationing likely in Perak

KERIAN: Water rationing will be imposed in Kerian and several areas in Taiping and Kamunting, if the Bukit Merah Dam level hits the critical 5.18m mark.

“The level at the dam is now 6.06m but may go down within 23 days if the current dry weather and consumption pattern continue,” said Perak Public Amenities, Infrastructure, Energy and Water Committee chairman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharudin.

He said should water rationing be imposed, some 250,000 consumers in the area would be affected.

“Bukit Merah Dam, which is also Bukit Merah Lake, supplies 120 million litres per day to the Semanggol water treatment plant.

“The level at the dam is now classified as Critical Stage Three (below 6.40m).

“Critical Stage One is when the level is 7.01m while Stage Two is 6.70m,” he told a press conference at the Bukit Merah Laketown Resort yesterday.

“The Perak Drainage and Irrigation Department (DID) is preparing additional water pumps for padi farmers to recycle their existing water supply for their farms,” he said.

He added that the Kerian District Office would be meeting today to evaluate the water issue before tabling it to the Perak government.

“We will then decide if there is a need to present it to the National Disaster Management Agency for them to address the damage or losses incurred due to the dry weather,” he said.

He stressed that the matter only concerns northern Perak and not the entire state.