Johor to carry out cloud seeding

The Star 5 Mar 10;

JOHOR BARU: An allocation of RM500,000 has been approved for cloud seeding around water catchment areas and dams to ensure adequate water supply.

State International Trade, In­­dustry, Energy, Water, Com­munication and Environment Committee chairman Tan Kok Hong said it would be carried out around Sembrong Barat, Timur and also at the Bekok Dam.

The cloud seeding would be handled by a private company with the assistance of the airforce.

The state government has also allocated about RM60,000 to clean up the intake points at the Sembrong Barat dam to ensure there is no debris blocking the flow of water into the dam, he told The Star here yesterday.

Tan said the state water regulatory body has also identified alternative water sources in Batu Pahat and Kluang as a precautionary measure in case of drought.

“We discussed all this at the weekly state executive council meeting with Mentri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman,” he said, adding that water level at other dams in the state is normal.

The recent rainfall has caused the water level at the Sembrong Timur water treatment plant to go above the 0.5m critical level.

Despite this, the plant was only operating at half the maximum capacity of 29 million litres per day, he said.

The worst hit areas, including Chamek, Nyior and Paloh, are now getting water supply.

Meanwhile Syarikat Air Johor (SAJ) corporate communication head Jamaluddin Jamal said water rationing was still on at six zones in Kluang.

All these zones get their water supply from the Sembrong Timur water treatment plant, he said.

For enquiries call 1800-88-7474, SMS 019-772 7474, e-mail customer.care@saj.com.my.