Negri dam levels declining despite heavy rain

A file picture of the Kelinchi Dam taken in February 2016.

SEREMBAN: Water levels at two major dams here are going down despite heavy showers in many parts of Negri Sembilan.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said both the Sg Terip and Kelinchi dams, which supply water to

tens of thousands of consumers in Seremban and other districts had about 70 days of supply left, when it should be more than double.

"For some strange reason, we have not been getting rain in the upstream areas.

"It is my hope that consumers will use water prudently and not be mistaken that the dams are full because of rain in downstream areas," he told reporters after chairing the exco meeting Wednesday.

Mohamad said consumers should not waste water simply because tariffs were low.

"I know that Negri Sembilan has the lowest water tariff in the country for households, but that does not mean one should be wasteful,"

However, he noted that the state's five other dams were full.

Mohamad said he had directed state water concessionaire Syarikat Air Negri Sembilan to find way to fill up the two affected dams.

"We need to do some kind of back pumping and fill up the dams as we will be experiencing the dry season in two to three months.

"The other option is to carry out cloud seeding in the upstream areas and get the dams filled up before it comes," he said.