‘We don’t have enough raw water’

Selangor dam located in Kuala Kubu Baru.

PETALING JAYA: A second water rationing exercise for Selangor has become necessary as the state government cannot rely on the usual intermonsoon rainfall expected in September, said the Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (Awer).

President S. Piarapakaran des­cribed the state government’s meeting today to decide on whether water rationing should be implemented for the second time this year as better late than never.

“It is a pretty straightforward situation.

“We clearly do not have enough raw water to supply to the four major treatment plants that produce water for about 60% of consumers in the state.

“It is also unwise to rely on the rains during the intermonsoon period next month because we cannot say for sure if there will be a stable rainfall pattern or if the rainfall amount will be high,” he said when contacted.

Malaysian Water Association president Syed Mohamad Alhabshi said the water industry had expected to see such problems occur here after the delay of the Langat 2 water treatment plant.

“Why have we allowed ourselves to be in this situation? We saw this coming four years ago,” he said, when met by The Star.

He said those who advised the state previously that there had been enough water would “get away scot-free”.

Syed Mohamad also warned that the rationing might continue again next year and after that, until the Langat 2 plant was completed.

“It will be a yearly event,” he said.

Many consumers in the state were subjected to water rationing between February and March this year when the Sungai Selangor dam, which supplies water to over 60% of households, dropped to near critical levels.

When the last rationing exercise was imposed between February and March, the level at the Sungai Selangor dam was 37%. It is now 32%.

However, Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had repeatedly assured Selangor consumers that there would be no water rationing yet. He added that there was enough raw water to last for the next few years.