CONSTRUCTION of the Sungai Rasau water treatment plant in Selangor may be delayed as a RM1.3bil grant from the Federal Government is still pending.
Subang Jaya assemblyman Michelle Ng, who chairs the Selangor water resource management special select committee, said if works did not start on time, the project might not be completed by 2024 as scheduled.
“This plant is crucial to ensure sufficient water supply in Klang district,” she said at the Selangor State Assembly sitting.
Ng urged the state government to seek clarification from the Federal Government on the status of the grant application.
She also proposed that discussions be held with owners of telemetry stations along Sungai Klang to allow data sharing for enforcement and monitoring purposes.
“The state government must also initiate the process of gazetting the area around water treatment plants as restricted zone,” she added.
It was reported that the Sungai Rasau water treatment plant, to cost RM4bil, would comprise two phases.
Phase one will supply 700 million litres a day while phase two will double the capacity to 1,400 million.
Selangor infrastructure, public amenities, agriculture modernisation and agro-based industry committee chairman Izham Hashim said the water treatment plant would involve the building of 13 ponds.
“This is a new approach whereby raw water undergoes pre-treatment inside the ponds before entering the plant, unlike other water treatment plants where the raw water is sourced directly from the river.
“This method allows for better control in the event of water pollution,” he said.
He added that Sungai Rasau water treatment plant might use modern technology to reduce odour pollution.
Izham revealed that Pengurusan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd spent RM300mil a year on electricity bills and RM100mil on chemical treatment at all its plants.
Meanwhile, Sijangkang assemblyman Datuk Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi urged the state government to upgrade the sewerage system in housing areas near Sungai Klang.
“Some of these houses are still using old septic tanks which tend to overflow into drains and pollute the river,” he said.
Ahmad Yunus also expressed hope that the new water treatment plant could supply treated water to Kuala Langat to support rapid development in the municipality.
Currently, treated water to the district is supplied via the Labohan Dagang water treatment plant, which began operating in November 2019.
Izham, in response, said the state government was in the process of integrating all water treatment plants in the state.
“So if one plant fails, water can be supplied from other working plants.
“This is being done in stages but it is quite costly,” he said.
