EUNICE AU AND TEOH PEI YING New Straits Times 20 Apr 14;
STEADY SUPPLY: However, exercise will be extended if water levels in dams do not improve, says Span
KUALA LUMPUR: Stage four of the scheduled water-rationing programme, which has affected some 600,000 households, will continue until the end of the month as announced, says National Water Services Commission (Span).
Its chairman, Datuk Ismail Kasim, said the households would continue to experience water disruption until Span saw reasonable improvement in water levels in dams.
After April 30, however, he said the rationing would be reviewed again depending on the dams' water levels.
Ismail also said the rationing would be extended after that period if there was no improvement in the water levels in most of the dams.
"If the situation worsens, Span is left with no options but to consider using the Langat 2 water treatment plant, which is not fully completed."
Federation of Malaysian Consumers Association (Fomca) deputy secretary-general Foon Weng Lian said the rationing was not successful in reducing water consumption as consumers stored water to meet their needs on days without water.
According to the Energy, Green Technology and Water Ministry, only a seven per cent of reduction was achieved in the first month of the water rationing.
"How is this helping to improve the situation, when the consumption is almost the same with or without rationing."
Foon said consumers did not have the right knowledge to reduce water wastage and suggested more awareness campaigns to help educate them on conserving water.
Kuala Selangor member of parliament Datuk Irmohizam Ibrahim said he was disappointed that the state government had rejected a motion at the state assembly on Thursday to compel the state to stop water rationing instantly.
He urged the Selangor government to purchase water from other states to solve the water shortage problem immediately.
"The state government should take immediate action to fill up the dams. They can buy water from other states.
"They did not give any answer as to why they could not purchase water from other states to solve the problem quickly, even though other states are willing to sell to Selangor," he said after launching the Petaling district Youth Fiesta Carnival at Space U8 here yesterday.
Irmohizam said he had received many complaints from Kuala Selangor residents regarding the water rationing measures taken by the state government.
He said the onus was on the Selangor government to solve the water short-age and stop water rationing once and for all.
Syabas: Contamination hits Gombak
The Star 20 Apr 14;
PETALING JAYA: Water rationing in a number of areas around Gombak district was affected after the Wangsa Maju water treatment plant was closed again.
Syabas said the plant was opened at 11.30pm on April 18 but was closed at 7am yesterday when the level of contamination in the Gombak river rose.
“Water supply to a few areas in Hulu Langat was also delayed on April 18 because of a burst pipe in front of SMK Tinggi Kajang.
“To avoid further hassle, supply to the affected areas was extended from its original schedule,” Syabas assistant general manager Priscilla Alfred said in a statement yesterday.
However, she stressed that the water rationing in each zone was still “two days on and two days off”.
“Zones scheduled to receive water supply will begin getting water at 4pm on the first day. However, there could be delays following possible incidents of burst pipes.
“Water supply to consumers will be cut at 9am on the first day the zone is expected to have no water supply,” she said.
In response to complaints from users undergoing water rationing that they may have no water during weddings, Alfred noted that users could apply to Syabas for supply through water tankers and static tankers.
“This was approved by the National Water Services Commission,” she said.
