Malaysia: Sarawak starts cloud seeding tomorrow

New Straits Times 5 Aug 14;

KUCHING: The state government will carry out cloud seeding throughout Sarawak tomorrow, regardless of the cost of the operation.

State Public Utilities Minister Datuk Awang Tengah Ali Hasan said even though rainfall over the past few days had overcome water shortage in the affected areas, this might only be temporary as the hot and dry weather was expected to end only in September.

Speaking after chairing a meeting at Wisma Sumber Alam, he said the cost of cloud seeding and water delivery was not discussed in the meeting.

“The cost is not an issue as the government must ensure the people have sufficient supply to carry on with their daily routine.

“We will carry out whatever operations we need to and the cost will be submitted to the chief minister’s office later.”

Awang Tengah said water production in most areas had returned to normal due to the heavy downpours over the past few days. The only area still facing water shortage is Simunjan.

“We are sending 15 lorries of water to Simunjan every day until the water crisis is over,” he said, adding that the water shortage there had begun during Ramadan last month but the situation was manageable.

Awang Tengah said the water level of Sungai Sarawak Kiri at the Batu Kintang treatment plant had risen until the top of the weir and there was now full storage.

“Water production has returned to normal and water distribution to the city and its surrounding areas has been restored.”

However, the relevant agencies are still on standby in case of an emergency.

“We expect the dry spell to hit the state again so we are ready to deliver water by lorry, tanker and boat to the rural areas and settlements which are not accessible by road.”

Awang Tengah denied that the delay in the operations of the Bengoh Dam was the main cause of the water shortage.

Awang Tengah said the dam was built to cater to the increasing
demand for water supply in the future.

“It is meant for the greater Kuching area in the future and has nothing to do with the current water crisis.

“It will play an important role in the next few years, but, sadly, the opposition is trying to instigate the community.

“If they are as concerned about the needs of the people as the government, they should stop instigating the people,” he said.

Construction work on the dam, located about 40km from here, began in July 2007. It was completed three years ago but has yet to become operational.

Awang Tengah said one of the reasons for the delay was the resettlement process, while some minor construction work had yet to complete.

Sungai Selangor dam reaches critical level
New Straits Times 5 Aug 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: The Sungai Selangor dam, which is a source of raw water for 60 per cent of the Klang Valley and Putrajaya, stood at a precarious level of 32.74 per cent yesterday, just shy of the 30 per cent critical mark.

This is believed to be its lowest ever mark after the dam, which supplies water to 1.9 million users in Kuala Lumpur, Gombak, Petaling, Shah Alam and Klang, had recorded a 36.74 per cent level in March this year. This is also well below the 55 per cent minimum level.

Water reserves at other dams in the state, however, showed healthier figures. Checks at the Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (Luas) website yesterday showed that other dams, namely at Semenyih and Batu, were at 75.9 per cent and 82.3 per cent, respectively.

There has yet to be any indication that the Selangor government will introduce another round of water rationing, as it did in February.

National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and Syarikat Bekalan Air Selangor Sdn Bhd (Syabas) officials told the New Straits Times that, as of yesterday, they had yet to be informed of any rationing plans.

SPAN corporate communication director Carol Pelly said there had been no developments yet on the issue.

Syabas corporate communications and public affairs general manager Priscilla Alfred, meanwhile, said should water rationing be implemented, the company would conduct the necessary preparations, including readying water tankers.

“However, Syabas has not been informed of anything so far. I am not allowed to say anything more,” she said in a text message.

On Aug 1, NST had quoted Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim as saying that there were no plans for another round of water rationing.

The state had undergone a rationing exercise between Feb 27 and April 30 this year, after water levels at its dams plummeted.

In Shah Alam, Selangor police have set up a task force to investigate allegations of sabotage involving six water pumps at the Hang Tuah ponds in Bestari Jaya near here last Friday.

Selangor CID chief Datuk Mohd Adnan Abdullah told Bernama police had received two reports on the incidents and were scrutinising details for further action.

“We are trying to determine if the alleged sabotage was carried out by individuals or groups,” he said yesterday.

Last Saturday, state Youth and Sports, Infrastructure and Public Utilities Committee chairman Dr Ahmad Yunus Hairi, in a statement, said six water pumps at the Hang Tuah ponds were sabotaged by irresponsible parties and asked the authorities to take stern action.

According to him, the sabotage occurred twice at the ponds. However, it did not affect treated water supply to consumers.

In Kota Baru, about 1,500 residents in the two villages of Kampung Pulau Panjang and Kampung Pauh, Pengkalan Chepa claimed they have been without water supply for the past month.

A resident, in his 50s, said complaints had been made to Air Kelantan Sdn Bhd but the utility had only sent its water tankers to the affected areas yesterday.

Residents, who had been surviving on water from wells and gathered from rain, claimed that the water pressure had been low before their taps completely dried up last month.


Palanivel: 150 hot spots detected in Kalimantan, 15 in Sumatra
Borneo Post 5 Aug 14;

KUALA LUMPUR: The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) detected 150 hot spots in Kalimantan and another 15 in Sumatra on Sunday when Malaysia was hit by haze.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G Palanivel said the centre detected 18 hot spots in the country, including 11 in Sarawak and seven in Sabah.

“All these hot spots (in the country) will be investigated and appropriate enforcement action will be taken,” he said in a statement.

Palanivel also sought public cooperation in putting out small fires and report any cases of open burning to the Fire and Rescue Department and Department of Environment (DOE).

Meanwhile, two areas recorded an unhealthy air pollutant index (API) as of 4pm yesterday.

According to DOE portal, Bakar Arang in Sungai Petani recorded an unhealthy API reading of 106 and Sri Aman (117).

The portal also reported that 23 other areas recorded a moderate API reading, including Batu Muda, Kuala Lumpur (100), Tanjung Malim (80) and Alor Star (78).

An API reading of between zero and 50 indicates good air quality, between 51 and 100 (moderate), between 101 and 200 (unhealthy), between 201 and 300 (very unhealthy) and over 301 (hazardous).

Members of the public can refer to the DOE portal at http://www.doe.gov.my to find out the API reading for their areas. — Bernama

Read more: http://www.theborneopost.com/2014/08/05/palanivel-150-hot-spots-detected-in-kalimantan-15-in-sumatra/#ixzz39TwJ2d9T