Negri Sembilan might undergo water rationing in two weeks

SEREMBAN: Several districts in Negri Sembilan may have to undergo water rationing in two weeks time due to falling dam levels follow­ing a prolonged dry spell.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the authorities were left with no choice but to resort to rationing, as rainfall in many parts of the state had fallen by half compared to the same period last year.

The affected districts include Kuala Pilah, Jempol, Tampin, Jelebu and also Seremban.

“Please use water prudently as the level of raw water in our dams is falling sharply.

“We hope to get more rainfall by then to avert a water cut,” he said, adding that levels at several rivers dropped drastically.

He said the state had been forced to release some 100 million litres of water from Talang dam to replenish the supply in Ulu Sg Muar over the past three weeks.

There are five treatment plants along the river that supply treated water to tens of thousands of consumers in districts in the northern and eastern parts of the state.

Meanwhile, Johor may face a major water crisis if it fails to develop a sustainable water management system by 2018.

State Public Works, Rural and Regional Development committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said Johor had less than two years to start exploring new water resources.

He said the present water production capacity of 1,700 million litres daily would be insufficient to meet demand, which was expected to increase by two-fold by 2018.

Hasni said if this was the case, Johor would have to stop getting new investments into the state especially into Iskandar Malaysia.

“About 40% of the daily water capacity is used by domestic and industrial users in south Johor, where Iskandar Malaysia is located,” he said.

Hasni said the authorities would ensure that new investments continue to flow into Iskandar Malaysia by ensuring adequate water supply in the economic growth corridor.

He was speaking to newsmen after witnessing the signing of the Corporate Integrity Pledge between SAJ Holdings Sdn Bhd and its 350 business associates.

Hasni said the state government planned to start exploring underground water resources as a long term measure to ensure Johor would not face a water crisis.

“We are working with Universiti Teknologi Malaysia and Japan Water Forum to research underground water reserves,” he added.

Hasni said Mersing and Kluang districts had been identified as having underground water reserves which could be explored.

He said the state government would also look at other options including desalination plants.

Hasni said the developer of the multi-billion ringgit Forest City project in Gelang Patah was required to build its own desalination plant for the large scale project.