JOHOR BARU: Water levels at the Sungai Layang and the Sungai Lebam dams remain critical although heavy rain was recorded in several parts of south Johor.
This is because cloud seeding operations conducted from Oct 12 to 31 failed to bring rain to areas near the two dams.
According to SAJ Holidngs Sdn Bhd (SAJ) corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamil, no rain was recorded over the Sungai Layang and Sungai Lebam dams.
“Hopefully, the authorities will extend cloud seeding in view of the critical water levels at the two dams,’’ he said when contacted.
Jamaluddin said the water level at the Sungai Layang dam had dropped to 19.42m (critical level) from 23.50m while the Sungai Lebam dam had gone down to 8.42m from 12.27 on Oct 29.
The Sungai Layang dam supplies water to 580,000 consumers in Pasir Gudang and Masai, mostly industrial users and several parts of Johor Baru.
The Sungai Lebam dam in Kota Tinggi, channels water to about 66,496 users in Mukim Tanjung Surat, Mukim Pantai Timur, Mukim Pengerang and parts of Kota Tinggi.
“As the water level is still critical, we have decided to extend the scheduled water rationing (SWR),” said Jamaluddin.
The SWR has been extended until Nov 15, affecting thousands of users in several parts of Johor Baru, Masai, Pasir Gudang and Pengerang in Kota Tinggi.
Johor PKR deputy chairman Jimmy Phua Wee Tse said this was the first time thousands of residents in the southern parts of Johor were facing water supply issues.
Phua said he wanted to know whether the development of the multi-billion ringgit Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex in Kota Tinggi was the main reason for the water crisis.
