'Johor does not rely on Singapore for treated water'

Chuah Bee Kim New Straits Times 12 Nov 13;

SELF-SUFFICIENT: 24.3pc surplus in supply, says exco member

JOHOR does not depend on Singapore for its treated water as its 44 water treatment plants can churn out a total of 426 million gallons of treated water daily.

State Public Works, Rural and Regional Development Committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohamad said Johor required about 330 million gallons per day and the current production indicated a surplus of 24.3 per cent in supply compared with the current demand.

"This clearly shows that the government is not dependent on the supply of treated water from its neighbour across the Causeway," Hasni said in reply to a question by Jimmy Puah ( PKR- Bukit Batu) in the state assembly yesterday.

Hasni said based on the privatisation agreement inked on July 19, 2009 between the state government and SAJ Holdings Sdn Bhd (SAJ), the water supply company was given permission to operate 29 plants, including two plants of the Public Utilities Board, Singapore which were handed over on Sept 1, 2011.

"Under the concession agreement between SAJ and Southern Water Corporation Sdn Bhd (SWC) on May 31, 1994, SAJ had authorised SWC to operate 14 plants, while PUB gave its consent to operate one treatment plant."

Tan Chen Choon (DAP-Jementah) raised an additional question on whether the state government had submitted a proposal to the Federal Government concerning the need to review the current selling price of untreated water at three sen per 1,000 gallons of water to Singapore.

In response, Hasni answered in the affirmative.