Malaysia: Johor dams still not affected by dry spell

abdul rahman embong The Star 9 Feb 14;

JOHOR BARU: The water level at the 15 dams in Johor is still able to sustain the needs of the people despite no rainfall over the past few weeks, Syarikat Air Johor Holdings (SAJ) Sdn Bhd corporate communication manager Jamaluddin Jamil said.

“If the water levels at the dams reach a critical level, SAJ will take immediate measures to ensure that the public will receive clean water without any disruption,” he said.

Several residential areas in Layang-Layang, Simpang Renggam, had faced water disruptions for about a week from the start of the Chinese New Year.

However, Jamaluddin said the situation was not caused by the decreasing water level at the dams but due to the high volume of consumption.

“During the festive season, we noticed that usage of water usually increases. Places such as Layang-Layang and nearby areas faced water disruption due to the low water pressure in the area,” he said when contacted.

LThe area suffered water disruption for more than seven days due to high water usage during the Chinese New Year celebration.

Checks by The Star at Taman Sri Layang in Layang-Layang showed that the problem had already been rectified. Housewife Loi Low Chong, 81, said her Chinese New Year celebration was affected as her house did not receive clean water for about seven days.

“I could not cook for my family reunion dinner. We had no choice but to spend money at a restaurant,” she said.

Another resident S. Krishnan, 45, said that the residents did not receive any notice from SAJ over the water disruption.

Stall operator Aminah Samsuddin, 40, said the situation had affected her business.

Johor DAP policy director Wong Shu Qi, who highlighted the matter, said the state government should inform the public of the water level at all dams and reservoirs so that residents could make the necessary preparations.