The Star 29 Mar 14;
PETALING JAYA: Water rationing in Selangor has been extended to April 30, with more areas expected to see dry taps as the country struggles with an ongoing heatwave in the peninsular.
The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) in a statement said Selangor’s seven dams were drying up, and that recent rainfall was too slight to increase water levels there.
“SPAN has agreed to continue the third stage of scheduled water distribution until April 30,” a spokesman said. SPAN said a meeting between them, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, Selangor Government, water operators and other agencies yesterday led to a decision that a fourth phase of water rationing was to take place from April 4 onwards.
Details on this would be revealed by Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor on April 1. Set up on March 10, Selangor’s third phase of water rationing covers a total of 722,032 households or 3.6 million people.
Districts affected include Gombak, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Langat, USJ and Kuala Lumpur.
SPAN said water rationing would also continue for 60,185 households affected by the closure of the Batu 11 (Cheras) and Bukit Tampoi water treatment plants.
'Wettest' town to face water rationing
New Straits Times 29 Mar 14;
TAIPING: The town is known as the wettest in Malaysia, but the prolonged drought will see consumers in parts of Taiping face water rationing next week.
It will be the first time that the Perak Water Board (LAP) will resort to rationing.
The two-week exercise, starting on Friday, will affect 28,000 of the 85,000 LAP account holders here.
The last time it rained heavily in Taiping, which used to receive the highest rainfall in the country, was on Jan 14.
State Public Facilities, Infrastructure, Energy and Water Committee chairman Datuk Zainol Fadzi Paharuddin said it had to resort to rationing because of the dwindling supply at the Taiping Headwork Plant (THP), near Bukit Larut here.
He said the plant was able to generate only 26 million litres of water daily during the current dry spell, compared with 35 million litres normally.
"We source water from other plants to complement the supply at THP.
"But even then, it is insufficient because of unusually high usage, especially over the past two months.
"We are left with no choice, but to embark on water rationing," he said after visiting THP yesterday.
Zainol Fadzi said LAP had obtained approval from the National Water Services Commission on March 14 to carry out rationing.
However, if it rains heavily over the next few days, the rationing exercise may be postponed.
"LAP has detailed plans should the water rationing proceed.
"We appeal to consumers to use water wisely. They should start storing water now."
The affected account holders, who will be divided into two zones, will receive supply every two days.
"They should save up enough water now, as no LAP water tankers will be dispatched to the affected areas when the supply is discontinued.
"However, our water tankers and static tanks will be deployed to hospitals, clinics, dialysis centres and other places for crucial use."
Zainol Fadzi said officials from the Meteorological Department would visit the state next week to see if it was possible to carry out cloud seeding.
4th phase of water rationing to start
HANA NAZ HARUN New Straits Times 29 Mar 14;
DRY DAMS: Selangor, KL and Putrajaya water woes to continue
KUALA LUMPUR: SELANGOR, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya will face the fourth phase of water rationing beginning on Friday.
The National Water Services Commission (SPAN) said the downpour in the Klang Valley since March 16 had yet to fill the main dams that provided raw water to treatment plants here.
The average monthly rainfall is 41mm. Last month, only 2mm of rainfall was recorded.
"Because of the reduced water levels in the dams, the Selangor government, which is responsible for regulating water resources, has decided to further reduce the water discharge from the Sungai Selangor dam to an additional 500 million litres per day.
"This brings the total reduction to one billion litres per day," SPAN said in a statement.
A meeting was held between SPAN, the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, Selangor government, Selangor Water Management Authority and all operators yesterday, where it was agreed that the fourth phase of water rationing would be implemented.
"Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor will announce the dates and areas that will be affected by the water rationing on Tuesday."
As at Thursday, the water reserve level in the Sungai Selangor dam was 37.09 per cent lower than the maximum level of 220m. Because of the low water reserve levels in the dams, SPAN has agreed to continue with the water rationing until April 30.
At least 3.6 million people in Gombak, Petaling, Klang, Shah Alam, Kuala Selangor, Hulu Selangor and here are affected by the third phase, which started on March 10.
The first phase, which started one month ago and affects Hulu Langat, Kuala Langat and Sepang, will also continue, involving 60,185 households.
SPAN said there were still high levels of ammonia in the Cheras Batu 11 and Bukit Tampoi water treatment plants.
