Malaysia: 'Dams will be depleted if water rationing ends'

BALQIS LIM New Straits Times 19 Apr 14;

RISKY: Consider repercussions of move, warns Awer president

KUALA LUMPUR: THE Association of Water and Energy Research Malaysia (Awer) said the water rationing exercise should not end, as it would deplete water levels in dams which are now almost at a critical level.

Association president S. Piarapakaran said water levels at dams in Selangor were slowly increasing, and if rationing was stopped now, the water levels could drop quite significantly and swiftly.

"Although we are not reducing much in terms of water consumption, if the authorities were to end water rationing, it would only use up more water from the dams.

"Any intention to stop water rationing would have a significant impact on consumers, especially when we are facing the possibility of a dry spell for the second round, beginning next month."

Piarapakaran was commenting on the Selangor state assembly's rejection on Thursday of an emergency motion to immediately end water rationing and start channelling water regularly to the people in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.

Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim had said the state could not instruct the rationing to end yet as there was not enough water in several dams in the state.

The motion was tabled by state opposition leader Datuk Mohd Shamsudin Lias, who had said the rationing was causing much inconvenience and suffering.

Piarapakaran said those who urged for the tabling of the emergency motion should check on the repercussions of such a proposal.

"We should look at the matter in a practical manner, instead of placing political pressure on it. We cannot be emotional.

"We need to look at the right way to solve the problem and move forward from this entire situation.

"Instead of making public over anger and frustration, they have to be careful with such a suggestion because rationing is done so that whatever water that is left in the dam may be used for a little while longer."

He said even if the state government approved for rationing to end, the National Water Services Commission (SPAN) would not agree to it as the situation at dams remained critical.

"The state government does not have power (to end the rationing) now because, eventually, it would have to go to SPAN first.

"As a technical regulator, SPAN will never give in to such pressure as it knows that to reverse the rationing, it will lead to a much worse scenario."

He added that focus should be on increasing water levels at dams.

Piarapakaran said the Sungai Selangor dam, which provides almost 60 per cent of raw water in the Klang Valley, recorded water levels of 37 per cent for the past two weeks, and it was now at 38 per cent capacity.

Meanwhile, Khalid's media officer, Tuan Nazuri Tuan Ismail, said the menteri besar's move to get a Thai company to conduct cloud seeding was made due to a lack of aircraft for the operation, starting next week,

He said a meeting on the matter would be held on Monday.

Read more: 'Dams will be depleted if water rationing ends' - General - New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/nation/general/dams-will-be-depleted-if-water-rationing-ends-1.572380#ixzz2zIarJP94