MELAKA: The Melaka government reassures the public that the water supply in Alor Gajah is sufficient despite a report by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) on decreasing raw water storage reserves in several states due to the current hot weather.
State works, infrastructure, public amenities and transport committee chairman Datuk Hameed Mytheen Kunju Basheer said the water level at Jus Dam in Alor Gajah is currently 81.1% and stakeholders do not anticipate a disruption in supply anytime soon.
"Furthermore, we have a number of contingency plans in place in the event the water level at the dam depletes while the water treatment plant at Gadek here is capable of supplying 76 million litres of treated water a day by sourcing raw water from Sungai Batang Melaka," he said when interviewed here on Friday (March 29).
Hameed Mytheen said there is also a supplementary supply mechanism if the gauge at Jus Dam drops to a critical level and the total storage of water in all three dams in the state stood at comfortable levels.
"We have enough water in storage until June if the hot weather continues without rain," he added.
Hameed Mytheen was asked to comment on media reports on Thursday (March 28) that raw water storage reserves in four dams in Johor, Penang and Kedah showed a decrease to critical levels due to the hot weather, as of Thursday.
According to Nadma, the dams involved are the West Sembrong Dam in Johor which are now at the 31.65% level; Air Itam Dam in Penang (35%); and Kedah's BS Padang Saga Dam (39.67%) and Malut Dam (39.90%).
Nadma, quoting the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and Irrigation and Drainage Department (DID), said the water storage reserves at the Muda Dam in Kedah is at the warning level at 41%.
The report also stated that three more dams in Perlis, Johor and Penang are showing water storage reserves are at the alert level.
Apart from this, Nadma said on March 25, the DID had issued a drought forecast for three river basins, namely the Sungai Muda, Kedah, Sungai Kelantan and Sungai Melaka.
Nadma said this situation may cause water supply disruption problems in the Sik district, Kedah; Pasir Mas, Machang, Tanah Merah and Kota Baru (Kelantan) as well as Alor Gajah (Melaka).
