Khalid: No water rationing exercise

SHAH ALAM: Residents in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya need not fear of any water rationing exercise with another impen­ding dry spell.

Mentri Besar Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim assured the Selangor government would not order a second phase of water rationing exercise so soon.

This was because the state government had taken necessary steps to ensure that raw water supply at all main dams would be sufficient.

Speaking to reporters after chairing the weekly exco meeting here yesterday, Khalid said 20 water pumps had been placed in nine ponds to channel water into the Sungai Se­lan­gor Dam.

“This will reduce the amount of raw water taken from Sungai Selangor and ensure the water treatment plants there get normal supply,” Khalid said.

He added that former mi­­ning ponds could provide up to 800 million litres of water daily.

He also assured the public that water channelled from ponds would be tested regularly for safety purposes.

The Selangor Water Management Authority (LUAS) is also inspecting pumps to ensure they are in good working condition.

“We are also working towards increasing our water supply (by tapping into) underground water as an additional effort,” he added.

He said 37 cloud seeding exercises had also been conducted with the help of Thailand’s Bureau of Royal Rainmaking and Agriculture Aviation.

On Selangor’s water restructuring exercise, Khalid said Puncak Niaga Sdn Bhd (PNSB) had agreed in principle to it subject to approval at its coming AGM.

He said it would take about one month be­­fore the takeover of PNSB was completed.