Penang dams only half-full

More rain needed: The level of raw water reserve at the Teluk Bahang dam increased 19.5mm after the first cloud seeding. However, it is still below 50% capacity. — Bernama

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBAPP) is recommending a second wave of cloud seeding operations here as the raw water reserves of the Ayer Itam and Teluk Bahang dams are still below 50%.

Its chief executive officer K. Pathmanathan said the second cloud seeding is meant to optimise rainfall in the water catchment areas of both dams.

He said that the first cloud seeding was carried out from May 2 to 4 with the support and assistance of the National Disaster Management Agency, Royal Malaysian Air Force, Malaysia’s Meteorological Department and the Penang Water Regulatory Body.

He added that the corporation recorded 8.5mm of rainfall in the Ayer Itam dam and 19.5mm of rain in the Teluk Bahang dam after the operations.

“There was rainfall in the water catchment areas during the days when cloud seeding was carried out. But we still need more rainfall to replenish the dams.

“With the possibility of a (hot and dry) El Nino phenomenon from around May to July this year, it is vital to do all that can be done to prevent the two dams on the island from running dry before the next rainy season,” he said in a statement.

Pathmanathan said two key factors that caused the rapid depletion of dam reserves were the low volume of rainfall since January and the high water consumption, which accounted for 61.6% of total water consumption in Penang last year.

“On its part, PBAPP will pump more treated water from the Sungai Dua water treatment plant in Seberang Prai to the island to reduce dependency on the Ayer Itam dam as far as possible.

“One of our primary objectives now is to avoid the complete depletion of the Air Itam dam reserves during a potential El Nino year.

“To achieve this, we need the urgent cooperation of domestic water consumers to use less water for the time being,” Pathmanathan added.